Prep Boys Soccer: Schwer kick-starts South River's playoff comeback

Brandt Schwer's left ankle is just fine.

“I was just going as hard as I could every moment because I’ve been out for the last four or five weeks with an ankle injury,” said Schwer, whose ankle was draped in a black brace. “They threw me up top, where I haven’t played ever; I’ve always been a wing. I just wanted a goal.”

That was the plan.

Schwer countered Tanner Martz’s goal in the 39^th minute by knocking in a 15-yarder with 21:57 left to begin the Seahawks’ three-goal push and set up Monday’s meeting with Meade in the quarterfinals.

“We’ve come from down a few times this year,” Seahawks coach Jeff Vincent said. “This team, when we get down, 1-0, they kick it into another gear and pick it up a bit.”

Schwer dribbled deep into the Cougars’ zone and fired a shot past Zach Coberly, who slid to deflect the ball, which blew by Kody Herd into the left side of the goal to make it 1-1.

Chesapeake allowed South River just four shots during the first half – none on frame – prior to Schwer’s goal. Anase N’Gadi scored the game-winner nearly 10 minutes later, and Jimmy Romero added another with 6:52 left.

“That’s always how it is,” Schwer said. “We just need one goal. We’re a real good digging-out-of-the-hole team.”

The Seahawks (14-1), the only one-loss team playing in the first round, haven’t allowed more than one goal in 14 of their 15 games. The only blemish was a 4-3 loss to North County on Oct. 22.

In that game, the Knights took a 3-0 lead in the first half before South River scored four goals in the second to come within a tiebreaker of an appearance in the District V title game.

Chesapeake (10-5), the No. 13 seed, was trying to join Severna Park as the only teams to beat South River. Instead, the Cougars’ season is over.

“This was a good class,” Chesapeake coach Chris Collins said. “Three of these kids were four-year varsity players, and several were three-year varsity players. They’ve been together for a long time. It’s a tough way to go out.”

Mired in midfield play, the teams combined for three first-half shots before Herd scooped Mike Kane’s 25-yarder on a hop in the 35^th minute.

Herd sprinted to the right corner three minutes later to stop Joey Dean’s push by cornering him and stealing the ball. Herd began to dribble away and was tripped by Phillip Cocchiaro into the upper-right corner of the 18.

Martz received the restart, dribbled down the right sideline and bent a 20-yard, left-footed shot by Jake Smith for a 1-0 lead with 1:46 left.

“I saw an open lane,” Martz said. “So I made a run.”

The Cougars kept South River quiet until Schwer’s score, and Matt Polm nearly restored the lead two minutes later, but he lined his 15-yarder wide left.

Jared Fohs completed a give-and-go with Joe Fonteneau on a deep play in the 18, but Smith punched the ball out.

“We’ve had eight shutouts,” N’Gadi said, “so defense has been our strong point.”

N’Gadi lifted Kane’s pass into the goal box over Herd’s head into the upper-left corner for a 2-1 lead with 12:16 left. Kane then dribbled into the box to set up Romero’s score in the 84^th minute.

“We get up against good teams every time, and we give it up in the second half,” Martz said. “It’s terrible. It’s my senior year, and we lose in the first round.”

Chesapeake (10-5)   1 0 - 1

South River (14-1)    0 3 -3

GOALS: CH – Martz; SR – Schwer, N’Gadi, Romero. ASSISTS: SR – Kane 2. SAVES: CH – Kod. Herd 1; SR – Smith 1. SHOTS: CH – 6; SR – 8. CORNERS: CH – 0; SR – 0.

ARUNDEL 1, GREAT MILLS 0: Matt Lenz scored on an assist from Corbin McCarron as the Wildcats shut out the Hornets in the first round of the Class 4A East Region tournament. Arundel will visit Leonardtown on Tuesday for the Class 4A East Region quarterfinals.

MEADE 1, NORTH POINT 0: Mekah Baker, Dennis Gram-Nielson, Coldon Viator and Tobi Sowande scored on penalty kicks as the Mustangs defeated the Eagles 4-2 on penalty kicks.

North Point 0 0 0 0 - 0

Meade (7-7) 0 0 0 0 - 0

SAVES: ME - Hall 8. SHOTS: NP - 12; ME - 10. CORNERS: NP - 4; ME - 4.

KENT ISLAND 2, NORTH CAROLINE 1: Brennan Ewing deposited Ryan Culp's free kick for the game-winning goal with 2:38 left in the second overtime to lift the Buccaneers to the Class 2A East Region first round win.

Kent Island (8-6-2) 1 0 0 1 - 2

North Caroline (4-9) 0 1 0 0 - 1

GOALS: KI - Mills, Ewing; NC - Gomez. ASSISTS: KI - Culp 2, Young. SAVES: KI - Demma 8; NC - Ireland 8. SHOTS: KI - 19; NC - 16. CORNERS: KI - 2; NC - 3.