Mediaboss Marketing

By Dan Pearson Special to the News-Gazette

Nam Vos header past goalie Jonatan Cruz at 5:13 mark of the second half propelled the Harmony Longhorns to a 2-1 win over the Osceola Kowboys in the semifinal round of the 4A-6 district tournament at Osceola High Wednesday.

The Longhorns, 11-4-3, play Celebration, a 6-4 winner over a determined St. Cloud, for the championship Friday at 7 p.m. at OHS.

The winner will host the 4A-5 runner up in the regional quarterfinals Wednesday at 7 p.m. The loser travels to the 4A-5 champion.

It was typical of our entire season, Horns Head Coach Scott Marlega said. It seems like every district game we played this year has been a one-goal game. We have a lot of talented teams in the county and it was another dogfight.

Although the first 22 minutes of the game was scoreless, the Kowboys dominated play. Playing the majority of the first half in Harmonys end, Osceola had numerous chances to grab the lead. The closest came when Harmony defender Bobby Bosler failed to clear a ball inside the box and gave it up to Andres Ramirez, who blasted a bender from the left side that ricocheted off the right post.

The Kowboys would break through six minutes later. Pressing the attack, Osceola got several good shots off before one skipped off goalie Alex Grieve on to the foot of Ramirez who tapped it in for a 1-0 lead at the 12:33 mark of the half.

Alex (Grieve) played so well, Marlega said. Osceola was really peppering him, especially in the first half, and he came up big several times and that kept us in the game.

Both teams produced some excellent scoring opportunities early in the second half, but Grieve and Cruz were up to the challenges and recorded save after save.

See the original post:
Storm, Horns boys soccer advance; HHS girls win