Dustin Bosch's goal leads Rockachaws past Bay High in OT
BAY ST. LOUIS - Every game between Bay High and St. Stanislaus the last couple of years has been a nail biter and Friday night's rivalry contest was no different.
Tied through regulation and the first 10-minute overtime frame, Dustin Bosch lifted the home Rockachaws to a 2-1 victory thanks to a well placed free kick in the second overtime frame.
"We've played them seven times now and it's been a one-goal game every time with a late winner either in overtime or extra time," SSC coach Ryan Joiner said.
The winner in the 92nd minute came off of a set piece the Rockachaws (11-2-1) installed during practice Thursday. Faced with a free kick just outside of the box, Bosch blasted a shot round the wall and didn't allow Bay High's keeper a chance to react.
Once the goal hit the back of the net, Bosch spun and raced with his arms outstretched toward the home sideline to celebrate the late strike.
"Austin (Miller) was supposed to dummy the ball and whichever way the keeper moved Dustin shot it the other way," Joiner said. "I told the boys it was going to come down to a set piece."
Like Joiner, Bay High coach Kelly Ross wasn't surprised the game was back and forth for much of the evening.
"That's the way it always is. It's always a very physical match," he said. "We had our chances, they had theirs. They finished two of theirs and we didn't. We had three or four good chances and only finished one of them. I think that's pretty much the long and short of it."
Both goalkeepers played well for their respective club. For SSC keeper Owen Betz, Friday was his fourth game back since returning from the football team. He had three clean slates heading in, stopping all five shots he faced. Friday night, Bay High's Ethan Loftin gave the Tigers (5-5-2) an early 1-0 lead in the sixth minute when he broke in alone on Betz and went around the keeper.
Betz responded and ended up making several key saves to get the game to overtime.
Betz blanked Bo Bowman in the 24th minute on a breakaway and then twice more in the 62nd and 68th minutes on close-range shots from the right side.
"He had three outstanding saves tonight. He is what he is. He's a first class goalkeeper and deserves every (college) offer he gets," Joiner said. "I told him before the night it was going to take two saves from him and it ended up taking three."
James Estrada tied the game in the 19th minute when he roofed a ball that squirted free to him inside the box. The goal tied him with Miller for the team lead with seven.
This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 10:06 PM with the headline "Dustin Bosch's goal leads Rockachaws past Bay High in OT ."