A WIN TO REMEMBER: LOOKING BACK AT HISTORIC YDE SOCCER WIN TO EARN ELUSIVE PLAYOFF BERTH!

Soccer:

When the class of 2022 made the playoffs as a freshman, they proved there was a first time for everything. The time was the 2019 JV soccer team to become the first-ever soccer team to make the postseason in school history. But they had to do it in what was a one-game playoff against the feisty MDY Warriors at the Thunder Dome on April 15th, 2019.

It was down to the wire, as you would expect, but it was YDE who was victorious in the end by a tally of 6-4.

The Thunder came out flying; 18 seconds in, Bobby Tawil socked one home to give YDE an early 1-0 lead and send the crowd into an early frenzy.

MDY would rally, however, as two quick goals gave them a 2-1 lead, as doubt had started creeping in for the Thunder for the 1st time all evening. But YDE wouldn’t go down without a fight, as they would score to tie the game at two as the first quarter came to a close.

The second quarter was a defensive deadlock, as both teams had numerous chances in transition to score the go-!ahead goal but were either swallowed by the defense or gobbled up by the goaltenders.

Eventually, the buzzer sounded, ending the half, tied at 2.

MDY fans had a reason to feel confident during the intermission, as even a tie would get them into the playoffs because of goal differential. YDE was aware of this and knew that the odds were against them as the second half got underway. But instated of succumbing to the pressure, they embraced it and flexed their offensive muscles.

After being locked down for the second quarter by the Warriors, the Thunder finally broke through for a 3-2 lead, and it gave the YDE fans in attendance a chance to cheer one again.

The Thunder wouldn’t stop there, as Michael Levy drew the MDY defense away from a player before sending a lightning pass that was redirected home, giving the Thunder a two-goal lead, with these goals only being 19 seconds apart.

MDY wouldn’t give in, as they cut the deficit down to 4-3, but YDE had come too far to give in now and kept fighting to extend the lead, once again, which they did.

YDE snuck a goal past the MDY defense before Bobby Tawil sent home his second goal of the game, which gave YDE a 6-3 lead and was enough to hold off a last-ditch Warriors attack in a 6-4 win that put the Thunder in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.