The Boys Soccer team experienced a tough stretch of games in this past week. Heading into a three game home stand against Cambria Heights, Clearfield, and Bald Eagle, the team expected to win all three games, but instead finished 1-1-1.

In the first game against Cambria Heights, Bellwood senior Alex Bartlett nailed two long range shots into the upper corner of the goal and Tyrone senior Bobby Dawson scored on a curving corner kick on the right side.

With a 3-0 win against Cambria Heights the team looked strong as ever despite the fact they were missing key players Tristan Case, Ben Shetler and starting goal keeper Anthony Politza. Politza had been lost in the previous game against Central due to a broken ankle he suffered due to poor field conditions.

With Politza lost for the season, the Cambria Heights game marked the first varsity start for senior goal keeper Dominic Berry.

Berry proved up to the challenge as he posted a shutout.

Unfortunately his luck wouldn’t follow through the next day’s game against Clearfield with Tyrone taking a tough 3-2 loss.

Tyrone scored thirty seconds into the game with a goal from Alex Bartlett, who bounced a ball off a Clearfield defender into the goal. Unfortunately for Bartlett that would be the highpoint of a game filled with lowlights.

Later in the first half Bartlett was hit in the back of the head with a goal kick and taken out of the game due to concussion like symptoms. This injury will keep Bartlett out of action for at least five games.

Tyrone took the game into halftime with a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately it did not take too long for Clearfield to tie the game back up at 1-1 early in the second half.

The game would continue to be scoreless until Zach Friday, a senior striker came through with a huge play. Friday caught a break away pass and shot it at the keeper, who attempted the save.  The ball bounced to his side and Friday put the rebound in the back of the net for a 2-1 Golden Eagle lead.

But Tyrone’s defense could not hold up and Clearfield tied the game at 2-2. Things got worse for Tyrone as Clearfield scored again to go up 3-2.  The final buzzer sounded and Tyrone experienced its first divisional loss of the year.

The next game would prove frustrating for Tyrone as well. The team played Bald Eagle in a home game that heavily favored Tyrone.

In the first half the team looked distraught and unorganized, causing turnovers and sending shots way over the goal. Going into half time, Tyrone appeared frustrated with their play and inability to score.

Whatever the coaches and captains said at half time helped because Tyrone came out firing on all cylinders in the second half,  moving the ball well. However they were not able to score. This scoring drought continued throughout the second half, forcing overtime.

In overtime it was obvious that Bald Eagle was growing tired. Trying to kill the clock by constantly subbing in players and kicking the ball out of bounds, Bald Eagle appeared to be satisfied with a tie.

Tyrone was still fighting for the win, keeping the ball primarily in Bald Eagle’s end for almost the entire overtime period. In the end, the final buzzer rang and Tyrone was not able to pull out a win. Frustration was obvious from Tyrone as they meagerly walked off the field with heads sunken and spirits suffering.

After a much needed rest from the weekend, Tyrone opens up its week on Monday with an away game at Penns Valley and then a home game against last year’s top seeded Bellefonte, who the Golden Eagles beat in their season opening game. The team will have most of it starters back along with some practice time to improve their game.

Next week the Tyrone Boys hope to reverse their fortunes and put some games in the win column.