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Sheldon gets the best of North in physical non-conference tilt By TIM PYLE Non-conference play is a strange beast. The games don't count toward making the postseason, so many coaches take the opportunity to try different lineups and implement unorthodox styles. But when two prep girls soccer programs the caliber of North Medford and Sheldon of Eugene tangle, as they did Friday afternoon at North's Hoffbuhr Field, both teams are driven to make statements that will reverberate around the state. In a physical, well-played, fairly even match, Sheldon earned a 2-1 victory - and bragging rights - by scoring the final two goals. Irish freshman forward Kelsey Provo's follow-up of sophomore forward Tiffany Smith's shot off the crossbar in about the 65th minute proved to be the game-winner. Senior central midfielder Shelby Crabtree had tied it for Sheldon about five minutes earlier with a deadly free-kick drive to the far post from around 25 yards out on the left side. Senior fullback Julia Clark netted the Black Tornado's lone goal about eight minutes into the second half. After sophomore forward Nicole Vilarno's pretty set-up, Clark's low, right-footed skimmer from about 20 yards and straight on nestled into the left-side netting. The Irish (2-1) were co-champions of the Midwestern League last season but lost a tiebreaking game against South Eugene to end up with the league's No. 2 seed for state. Sheldon suffered a second-round loss to Westview in the playoffs. First-year head coach Cheryl Brost lost 12 seniors from that squad but returns talent that should again compete for the Midwestern crown. "After they got that goal on us, we knew we had to step up and find a way to that net somehow," said Brost, a 1989 Sheldon graduate who went on to play soccer at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash. North (1-1) took the Southern Oregon Conference title in 2000 before also falling in the second round at state, 2-1 to Central Catholic. Tornado head coach Dick Darcy was less than thrilled with North's performance Friday. "All-and-all, I thought they played rather poorly," said Darcy, whose squad begins SOC play on Sept. 25. "They need to be a lot more aggressive." Friday's match featured a marquee central midfield showdown between North senior captain McKenzie Weiler and Irish captain Crabtree. In the first half, Weiler's playmaking helped the Tornado control the opening minutes, but then Crabtree's strong play led Sheldon to a series of nicely orchestrated near-misses. On one sequence midway through the half, Crabtree curled a free kick from the left side of the penalty box toward the far post. The ball barely flew over a Sheldon attacker's header attempt before beating North freshman goalkeeper Caitlin Seeley to the far-post netting. The goal, however, was disallowed because the free kick was indirect and not touched by anyone but Crabtree. Late in the half, Crabtree created space with a nifty dribbling display, then rocketed a right-foot blast from the top of the box that Seeley dove to deflect just wide of the net. The Tornado constructed perhaps its best first-half opportunity in the waning moments, when Vilarno, a sophomore forward, ran onto a through pass and launched a right-footed shot over the near post. The half ended scoreless, with both teams getting off eight shots and forcing four saves. The Irish owned a 3-2 edge in corner kicks. North began the second half with its best extended period of play. The Tornado was rewarded when it kept Sheldon pinned in its own end after a corner kick and eventually found Vilarno, who dished to Clark for the goal. But the Irish responded by taking command. They pulled even on Crabtree's free kick about 12 minutes later, then needed just five more minutes to find the lead for good on the Smith-Provo counter-attack combination. Darcy lamented the breakdowns. "The midfield was collapsing too much," he said. "They weren't taking 'em on early on. And the fullbacks were not attacking like they should." The remaining 25 minutes featured a few more Sheldon chances and a final North push. With about five minutes to play, Weiler, a returning first-team all-SOC selection who pushed up to forward in the second half, blocked an attempted clear by the Irish goalkeeper. Weiler tracked down the loose ball on the right side of the penalty box and fired a shot that caught the outside of the net just short of the near post. The Tornado had two unsuccessful corner kicks late and finished with six corners and 13 shots, five of which needed saves. Sheldon managed 17 shots, eight of which were saved, and three corners. "North Medford is a talented team," Brost said. "They've got some good young players. ... I was very impressed with (junior defensive central midfielder Lisa Munyon)." North meets South Eugene at noon today at Hoffbuhr Field, while Sheldon takes on South Medford at noon at Fichtner-Mainwaring Park. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.