Girls JV Bulldogs defeat Roosevelt, 2-1 By JAKE LINGER Sports Editor
Say what you will about the level of competition at the junior varsity level of high school sports, but even a win over Eleanor Roosevelt in cricket or synchronized basket weaving would be exciting for Bowie High players and fans.
The talented group of girls JV soccer players coached by Marc Bohlen and Jonathan Keiler will one day be taking on the Roosevelt varsity girls for county and state titles, but until then a 2-1 win over the Raiders JV team will need to suffice.
Lots of back-and-forth play in and around midfield dominated the early going of the game. The Lady Bulldogs led off the scoring chances with a corner kick opportunity, but they couldn't convert.
Judging a JV team in any sport is difficult. The players are often freshman or maybe have never even played the particular sport prior to joining the high school ranks. Consider also that getting over the natural jitters of high school can be a factor in the learning curve at the JV level of play. That is where coaching becomes important.
"I thought the girls played hard throughout the game," said Bohlen. "It was also important that they didn't give up even after being down, 1-0."
There were a few flashes of brilliance from the Bulldogs throughout the match, perhaps visions of what the varsity team will look like next season and beyond. Heads up headers to keep the ball in play and good-looking offensive rushes were evidence of the players' recognition of certain advantages, or even where their teammates may be on the field.
The best scoring chance for Bowie in the first half was a shot that just grazed the right side of the goal. Roosevelt earned a one-goal advantage with what was essentially an uncontested shot - albeit weak - that found its way into the Bulldogs' net.
After tying the match, the Bulldogs took their own one-goal lead with just minutes left and that score proved to be the game winner.
