Solid scrimmage has Boyd buzzing

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Boyd’s Casey Hertwig collides with a Livingston Academy player during last year’s district tournament. Hertwig will be one of the seniors leading Boyd onto the field this season. (Dale Stubblefield photo)

Weather has kept the Boyd Broncos soccer team from getting in much-needed practice time this spring, but the Broncos have made the best of it in preparation for their season opener March 23 at home against York.

Monday, Boyd traveled to St. Andrews for a preseason scrimmage with the game ending in a 2-2 tie.

“We haven’t gotten a lot of practice time, but everybody did a great job Monday,” said head coach Keri Hertwig. “We have never played St. Andrews this close and the way we played was a great surprise.”

The Broncos finished as the runner-up in last year’s District 8-A tournament, earning a spot in the region tourney after a 2-1 loss to Livingston in the district finals.

Making the region for the second time in as many years, the Broncos unfortunately made an early exit, as they were defeated by Davidson 4-0, ending their campaign with an 8-2-2 record.

The end of the season also marked the end of the high school careers of seniors John Watson, Sam Medley, Jay Medley, Kenneth King and Matt Herndon, and left Boyd with several spots to fill, including that of starting goalkeeper Jay Medley.

Dustin Curtis will be filling Medley’s shoes in the nets, and according to Hertwig is already doing a fine job in goal.

“Dustin did a great job at goalie (Monday), and our defense did a good job all day,” she said. “We lost five starters from last year’s team and I knew they were going to be hard to replace. But we have 17 kids out this year and everybody is working hard in order to be prepared this year.”

In Monday’s game, St. Andrews took a 1-0 lead in the first half. Casey Hertwig, who returns to the squad for his senior season, tied the game at 1-1 in the second half, but St. Andrews answered to take a 2-1 lead.

Hertwig added his second goal mid-way through the second half to leave the game in a 2-2 tie.

With the regular season quickly approaching, coach Hertwig said the Broncos still have room for improvement.

“We still have several things we need to get better at such as passing and mid-field defense,” coach Hertwig said. “We have to take more shots and learn to take advantage of the situation when we have an open shot.”