By Jordan Klemko
Blake High School student
Walt Whitman came into Friday night’s game against the Wootton Patriots bent on avenging last year’s loss to the talented Wootton team.
But despite Whitman’s intentions and Wootton playing short-handed without its top three players, Wootton still pulled off a 2-1 victory Friday night in Laurel.
“The hardest thing to do is to play shorthanded,” Wootton Coach Dave Evans said. “We knew it would be tough, but in tough situations you have to find a way to win.”
The Patriots (8-0), the defending MSHL champion, handed Whitman (7-1-1) its first loss of the season in a battle of unbeatens.
Last year Wootton beat Whitman, 5-2, after the Vikings started the season 5-0. That led to a 2-2-1 slide that kept Whitman out of the playoffs.
“Whitman is a very high-energy team and very aggressive,” Evans said. “We were just lucky enough to get two goals in the net.”
Whitman’s energy showed, as its speed and aggressiveness helped the Vikings chalk up 27 shots. But solid goalkeeping by Wootton senior goalie Chris Hogan held the Vikings to only one goal on the night. Hogan notched 26 saves.
Whitman’s first and only goal came off a rebound from freshman forward Aidan Neustadtl with nine minutes, 16 seconds left in first period. The goal sparked roars from a standing room only crowd, which was loud all game.
Wootton responded halfway through the second period with a goal from senior forward Jonathan Cohen off a pass by sophomore defender Ryan Streger, tying the game at 1.
“This game was the biggest victory of my high school career,” Cohen said. “We didn’t have a good week of practice, but we pulled it out.”
The great defense by both teams held each other scoreless until two minutes left in the third period and final period when another goal came off the stick of Cohen on an assist from Dylan Skarupa.
The Patriots held the one goal lead for the final 2 minutes of the game, clinching the win.
In the loss, Whitman goalie Brendan Hart made 22 saves.
Wootton 2, Whitman 1
First Period
Whitman – Goal by Aidan Neustadtl
Second Period
Wootton – Goal by Jonathan Cohen assisted by Ryan Streger
Third Period
Wootton – Goal by Jonathan Cohen assisted by Dylan Skarupa
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