Hawks Boys’ Soccer Drops Third Straight Game

OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA – Hayfield was forced to play in Tuesday’s game without five of its starters due to rules regarding academic performance. Yet, head coach Daniel Drickey hoped the youthful hunger might compensate for the loss of experience at TC Williams.

After controlling the ball for the majority of the second half in Titan territory, Hayfield’s (0-3) Freddy Bonilla tied the game on a rocket from just five yards out. As the clock ticked down, it looked like overtime was coming up until one of Hayfield’s players dragged down a Titan from behind in the 18-yard box.

Alex Mansaray steeped to the line for the penalty kick and knotted it between the keeper and left post for the score and eventual win over Hayfield, 2-1.

Bonilla said although he lost, his team played well. He has liked the physical play allowed so far this season but thinks some calls should be made.

“We just hustled back, stepped up our game but had a tough break when they had another PK and made it,” Bonilla said. “It is good but there are some fouls they need to call and give a yellow because you cannot pull a guy’s jersey too far on the hard tackles from the back.”

Fernando Seas was tremendous in goal for Hayfield as he saved at least six hard, accurate shots in the first half of the game from Titans Mansaray and Osman Ainte, allowing just one to get by him.

Hayfield looked to attack in the box until a Titan defender stole the ball and sent it up to Mansaray. He weaved through three players down the left sideline with 3:43 left in the first and crossed the ball precisely to Abdel Aziz Al Nimiry who one-timed it into the net to put the Titans up 1-0.

“I saw Alex cross the ball perfectly and I hit it with my left foot and it was good,” Al Nimiry said. “Luis is one of our best keeper’s and he is really good.”

The Hawk defense performed strong against the speedy attack from Mansaray but had trouble kicking the ball up field during the first 40 minutes.

Momentum shifted to the Hawks in the second half as they now shot a barrage of balls at keeper Luis Martinez Hernandez. But the Titan Keeper was solid, snatching up every shot within the posts.

Unfortunately, the Titans found their edge again with 20 minutes left in the game and took control on offense. Manuel Benites teamed up several times with Tripp Spurio who put his head on the ball over a half dozen times near the goal. However, he came up short and would not score.

The Titans found redemption on the second penalty kick when Mansaray knotted n the game-winner.

Hawk’s head coach Daniel Drickey said he was extremely proud of his guys.

“This is a team that is missing five or six starters because of grades for the year, so we were in a whole from the beginning,” he said. “This is by far our best of the three games we have played and the second half was leaps and bounds better than anything we have done all year.”

“Seas is a monster in the back for us and keeps us in the game. The goals we have given up have been well earned like PKs and solo efforts that he could not get to.”

Hayfield plays at home against Edison at 7 p.m. on March 24.