It’s the go-to play in soccer. Go down in a heap. Grab your shin. Wail in agony. Lay on the turf. Limp off the field. Sprint back into the game.
Monday afternoon at Trinity University, however, when DeMatha junior Darnell Edwards was kicked in the shin by a player from Archbishop Carroll, there was little doubt he was hurt.
The hit failed to produce a penalty, but was so frightening it prompted an obscenity-laced tirade from DeMatha assistant Judah Cooks, which earned him an immediate ejection.
But moments later, Edwards returned and delivered the key assist, helping DeMatha to a 1-0 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference win.
Edwards took a pass from Keith Cowdrey at midfield, beat his man, and made an intuitive feed to senior Jordan Werth, who turned and shot into the top left corner for the game’s lone tally in the 76th minute.
“It hurt, but I had to go back in the game,” said Edwards. “I needed to be out there for the team.”
In a physical match, in which referees ejected one player from each team, Edwards was hit by a fellow member of his club soccer squad, senior Courtney Hewitt. Both play for the Bowie Bandits.
“That’s my close friend. That’s heat of the moment,” said Hewitt. “It’s part of the game.”
DeMatha (18-0-1) protected its No. 2 national ranking, but just barely. Even playing 15 minutes of the match a man down, Carroll (8-6-1) kept the pressure on DeMatha goalie Bill Hamid (four saves). After Werth scored his ninth goal of the season, Hewitt had Carroll’s best chance but his shot hit the side panel.
Carroll’s strong effort came despite an early injury Monday to senior sweeper Suilabayu Fon, requiring coach Glen Diaz to shift top scorer Prince Lapnet (12 goals, eight assists) to the back row.
“That took a lot from our attack today,” said Diaz. “The best teams always find a way to win. And DeMatha is the best.”
