Westminster Christian moves on

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:20PM

Largely because Westminster Christian's Josh Beachler and Timothy Rodgers paid very close attention to coach Mike Richardson's pre-match instructions, there will be a new soccer addition to the Warriors' trophy case.

Both players capitalized on rebounds of different types to score goals Tuesday and provide Westminster with a 2-0 victory against North Shore Country Day for the championship of the Westminster Class A Regional. With the title comes a berth in the Lisle Sectional semifinals at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Lisle Junior High's Wilde Field.

"We knew that rebounds were the key because their goal keeper was good," Richardson said about North Shore's Fred Cheon amid the post-match celebration over the Warriors' second straight regional title.

With 9:48 left in the first half, junior Steve Baier broke in on right wing and Cheon had to leave the left side of the net open while cutting off the shot's angle. Baier's kick struck the left goal post and caromed directly to Beachler, who had a wide-open net for the match's first score.

"I saw Steve take the shot and coach had told us to rush every shot and contest everything," Beachler said. "He had a great shot and I was just lucky enough to put it in.

"It was a fortunate bounce. I thought his shot was going in."

North Shore (8-7) went to sophomore goalie Tim Morette in the second half, and at the 1:42 mark the Warriors took control of the match with Rodgers' goal.

"I thought we responded OK (after the first goal," North Shore coach Jeff Richey said. "But I think the biggest thing that hurt us was the goal early in the second half."

Beachler took a shot from 20 yards out that a North Shore defender blocked. However the ball caromed back and to the right to Rodgers, who quickly drilled it into the net.

"When it came to me I was trying to look for the pass, but thought I had the open shot, so I took it," Rodgers said. "When he kicked it, I was sort of hoping that if the goalie pushed it back out with his hands, I would get it and be able to score."

Westminster's 6-foot-9 goalie Ian Dutcher rarely had much to do later in the match after making two first-half saves, including a high one on a penalty kick. Westminster (11-6-1) managed six shots on goal to four by North Shore, which played without its leading scorer due to injury.

However, the match started on a different note as North Shore's smaller, faster lineup controlled the ball through the first 10 minutes.

"At this time of year you can be a .500 team and get to this level and all of the sudden it's a new season and emotions take a big part of it at this level," Richardson said. "They raised their level of play early."

Although Westminster has nine seniors on the roster, the regional title was hardly a lock at the season's outset.

"We're a different team this year, so it took a little bit of time figuring out what the strengths were because the person's strength at a position last year are not the strengths of the person there this year," Richardson said. "So there was some figuring that out.

"But at the end of the day they had this goal in the back of their heads and knew this was achievable."

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