SOCCER: CLASS 3 SECTIONALS
CBC rallies to defeat DeSmet; SLUH wins
By Joe Lyons
POST-DISPATCH
Friday, Nov. 09 2007

FENTON — For the second time in as many games, the CBC Cadets found themselves
trailing early in a state soccer playoff game. And, for the second time in as
many games, they rallied to victory.

"For years, I've been preaching the importance of that first goal because I
have the numbers to back it up,'' CBC coach Terry Michler said. "But I've also
found that the teams that can come back like this group has, that can fight the
way this team does, those teams tend to do pretty well at this point of the
season.''

In a Class 3 sectional match Thursday night at Anheuser-Busch Center, the
third-ranked Cadets spotted No. 4 DeSmet an early goal but came on strong from
there, coming away with a 3-1 victory.

In their district final last week, the Cadets were down 1-0 early but rallied
for a 3-2 overtime victory over Lafayette.

CBC (23-5-1) will meet second-ranked St. Louis University High (24-3-3) in the
quarterfinals Saturday at 8 p.m. SLUH eased by unranked Fort Zumwalt South 3-0
in the other Thursday sectional game.

SLUH has won two of three meetings with CBC this fall.

"These are the games you live for if you go to CBC or DeSmet or SLUH,'' Michler
said. "The atmosphere, the big crowd, this is what you play for.''

In Thursday's match, DeSmet (17-4-5) scored less than 5 minutes in. After a
strong run down the left side, Spartans standout Will Bruin delivered a pass to
fellow senior Jordan Beckles at the back post for the goal.

But DeSmet's lead lasted less than two minutes. In a scramble to gain
possession in the box, Spartans keeper Dan Billman tackled the Cadets' Jordan
Barnes. Brian Groark converted the penalty kick, evening the score at 1-1.

CBC took the lead with about 4 1/2 minutes to play in the half as Barnes won a
race to a loose ball at the top of the box and managed to chip the ball over
Billman and into the vacated net.