Blue Devils take command with a tough win over the Falcons
A.C. Flora 0
Dreher 1
Photos and Story
By Mike Maddock
Mike@TheColumbiaStar.com

Dreher's Byron Quintoa tries to shake A.C. Flora's Blake Jernigan. Quintoa scored the winning goal for the Blue Devils.

Byron Quintoa's right- footed 35- yard blast at the 20:00 minute mark of the second half was enough for the Dreher Blue Devils to beat the A.C. Flora Falcons 1- 0 at Memorial Stadium, Tuesday, March 28.

Quintoa's kick impressed coaches from both schools. A.C. Flora's Jamie McClendon said, "Number four (Quintoa) hit a brilliant shot from about 35 yards away. I mean, we couldn't do anything about that."

Dreher coach Matt Horsnby said, "I told him (Quintoa) it was sick!"

The win puts Dreher atop Region III- 3A and makes the Blue Devils the only undefeated team in region play to date.

Hornsby said, "Everybody is chasing us right now, which is a good position to be in. But, in a way, it's a bad position, because everyone wants to take you out."

The Blue Devils dominated the first half rattling off eight shots to the Falcons' two. However, those two shots could have easily given A.C. Flora the lead. Dreher goalkeeper John Beck made a diving save off Steven Osmanski's shot at the 27:40 mark, then Chapman Fairey's left footer at an open net with 12 minutes remaining sailed left. Still, it was A.C. Flora goalkeeper Corey McCue that saw most of the action. He had four saves in the first half alone.

A.C. Flora's Austin Coleman tries to steel the ball from Dreher's Asher Quave- Robinson.

Quintoa took the first two shots of the second half, one of which turned out to be the game winner. The teams played even for the remainder of the match taking five shots each. The Blue Devils best opportunities came late in the second half when Yani Mouratev's left footer bounced off the left side bar with 10:27 remaining. With about six minutes left in the match, Dreher's Freeman Myrick lofted a soft pass to Collin Glass who poked it past McCue, but the ball caught the inside side bar, bounced behind McCue only to be scooped up by an A.C. Flora defender.

The Falcons best shot came on a corner kick that Daniel Ruso headed just barely over an open goal with under two minutes remaining. That was their last opportunity and capped off a frustrating evening for the Falcons and their fans.

A.C. Flora's Chapman Fairey dribbles as Dreher's Adam Dillihay chases from behind.

Several no- calls that went against the Falcons deep in Blue Devil territory caused a couple of Falcon assistant coaches to share their displeasure with the referees earning them both ejections from the match. An A.C. Flora fan in the stands was also asked to leave the stadium for berating officials. After a five- minute interruption and discussions with administrators from Dreher and A.C. Flora, the match resumed.

No player from either team was penalized. McClendon said, "It's just an emotional game. When you get into it, it's all emotional. It's just how soccer is played. You're always going to have something to say, but the referee did a good job tonight and that's all we can say."

The Blue Devils improve to 8- 3 (4- 0) and travel to Chester Friday, March 30. They beat the Cyclones 7- 0 earlier this year, but Hornsby said, "They had a guy ejected and had to play a man down the whole game. They are a scrappy team. We're not going to take them lightly."

The Falcons drop to 6- 6 (3- 1) and will try to bounce back Saturday, March 31 at home against Blythewood.

A.C. Flora (6- 6, 3- 1): Shots 7, Saves 6 (Corey McCue).

Dreher (8- 3, 4- 0): Shots 15, Saves 3 (John Beck). Goals: Byron Quintoa.