Visiting Calvert Hall proved yesterday it could stomach another difficult opponent. McDonogh showed it could rebound from a four-goal shutout. But after 90 hard-fought minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtimes, the game ended -- tied, 1-1.
No. 2 Calvert Hall, ranked No. 10 nationally, is 9-0-1, 6-0-1 in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association's A Conference; McDonogh, ranked No. 4 locally, is 6-1-1, 5-1-1.
McDonogh had come off a debilitating 4-0 loss to Archbishop Curley, which Calvert Hall hadhandled, 3-1. The Cardinals, having just survived one-goal victories over No. 15 Loyola and No. 8 Severna Park, were without their top scorer, Brian Powell, who was ejected late in Saturday's Severna Park game.
"That's no alibi for our offense," said Calvert Hall coach Bill Karpovich, whose team out-shot the Eagles, 15-6, in regulation and 4-2 in overtime. Plus, a pushing foul and an off-side call nullified two apparent Cardinal goals.
Calvert Hall's Brett Wagner caught McDonogh's sophomore keeper Bob Benson (12 saves) off guard 30 seconds into the game, chipping in the first goal on a pass from Mike Schaeffer.
"That really pumped us up," said Wagner, who missed two other close-in shots before halftime.
But 10 minutes later, McDonogh's game-tying goal came from an unlikely source. The momentum of a throw-in from Eagles' sweeper Pablo Webster carried the ball beyond back-pedaling keeper Mike Svehla's hands, and Bobby Cherneski put away his second goal of the year.
"Everyone on their team followed [McDonogh's top scorer] Dave Buehler, so when the goalie tipped it, I just poked it," said Cherneski.
McDonogh, with just four seniors, replaced injured defender Cap Poklemba with center midfielder Jon Cole. The team missed Cole's distributing ability, but fleet-footed teammate Haroki Kawase often threaded his way past two or three Cardinals' defenders on counterattacks.
Two of McDonogh's better chances came in the second overtime, first, when Ben Salsbury's screamer skipped over the crossbar, and then on Buehler's blast, inches wide of the near post.
Also, Benson (who had eight saves) to snuff Wagner late in the first half and early in overtime, and also dove left for Brandon Thomson's bullet midway through the second overtime period.
Five yellow cards and a scuffle between Webster and Cam Letke marred the game. Also Wagner, at one point, pleaded for a penalty kick after Webster grabbed him in the penalty box.
Pub Date: 10/02/96
