BY JEFF FALK

DENVER – In a team setting, almost every disciplinary action results from an individual placing his or her interests ahead of the whole’s. But Jake Beard was there when his teammates needed him most.

On a warm Tuesday evening at Cocalico High School, goalkeeper Beard’s sprawling save of a penalty kick with three minutes left in the second golden-goal overtime period helped  the Cedar Crest boys’ soccer team earn a well-deserved 1-1 road tie with the hometown Eagles. After the Eagles had been awarded a penalty kick because of a Falcon foul in the box off a corner kick, Beard, who had not participated in the first half because of a minor disciplinary infraction, stoned Owen Fryberger, whose attempt at the game-winner was ticketed for the lower left-hand portion of the net.

It was one of six saves Beard came up with.

What made the draw well-earned was the fact that the Falcons appeared out of gas during the second ten-minute extra session. And that Cedar Crest was soundly out played for a good portion of the opening half.

The contest served as the Lancaster-Lebanon Section Two opener for both sides.

Because of the draw, Cedar Crest is now 1-0-1 on the young season, not bad for a program which struggled to a 3-13-2 overall mark last season. The result made Cocalico 0-1-1 in the early going.

“The keeper who played in the second half was our established keeper,” said Cedar Crest head coach Travis Bensing of Beard. “He didn’t start due to minor disciplinary reasons. He made a couple of big saves. He came through when our legs got tired. Somehow, he got to it (the penalty kick).

“We understood that if we put one away, we were going to get a win,” continued Bensing. “And we knew if we let one in, we were going to get a loss. Our goal is to make the postseason. And to do that, we need to rack up as many league wins as possible.”

After the Eagles had owned the majority of the play, Cedar Crest sophomore John McCumber forced overtime with a goal with 13:36 left in regulation.

The play originated from a restart just outside the top of the box. Falcon Cole Laney’s blast into the heart of the Cocalico defensive wall caromed right – and right onto the right foot of McCumber, who made no mistakes to the far post, from 15 yards away.

“I remember it being off a free kick and the ball bouncing around,” said Bensing of McCumber’s goal. “It comes down to who wants it most, a little luck and being at the right spot at the right time.

“I’d say I could tell a difference in our team from the last 20 minutes of the first half,” Bensing continued. “We picked it up. It was more intensity. We weren’t just chasing them (the Eagles) around.”

The Falcons nearly won it with time running down in regulation. With 57 seconds left in the second half, Crest junior Owen Gonazlez created some space for himself in the middle of the field and uncorked a 15-yard rocket ear-marked for the right post. But Cocalico keeper Peyton Stetter preserved the draw with a diving save.

The Eagles took it to the weary Falcons during both overtime sessions. In the two OT periods alone, Cocalico out shot Cedar Crest 4-1 and enjoyed a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks.

“At the end of the game, we were definitely tired,” said Bensing. “We did a lot of subbing in the first half. But we knew when it got down to crunch time that we wanted to come away with as many points as possible.

“Obviously we came out flat,” added Bensing. “But the kids battled hard and we were able to come away with a tie. Coming off the bus, we weren’t mentally ready. It was mental for sure. But we have a young team.”

Cocalico grabbed a 1-0 lead 6:46 into the match. From the ensuing scramble off a corner, the ball squirted out to Fryberger, and with his right foot, Fryberger ripped a 20-yarder past Falcon goalie Josh Wildonger and into the lower right-hand corner of the net.

Offensively, Cedar Crest did not record its first shot on goal until 28 minutes of the first half had elapsed.

“We’re definitely doing things well,” said Bensing. “I’m happy with the progress we’re making. We’re hoping to put ourselves in a position to get back to the postseason. We see every team we play in Section Two as good competition. These guys know they’re never going to get a night off.

“We need to make sure our guys stay strong as leaders,” Bensing continued. “And we need to be accountable. On the pitch, we’ve got to recognize when we have time. We can’t panic with the ball. And we need to clean up our defense a little bit.”

According to the final stat sheet, Cocalico out shot Cedar Crest 12-7 and took 12 corners to the Falcons’ two.

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2016 Cedar Crest Boys’ Soccer Schedule