Ravens soccer downs Royals 4-3 in OT
The Sussex Tech boys’ soccer team welcomed Delmarva Christian Sept. 4, for the first varsity contest on the newly installed turf at the school’s sports complex. When the final whistle blew, the Ravens came away with a hard-fought 4-3 overtime victory.
The Royals struck first with two goals from Jay Parrish in the 22nd and 36th minutes, taking a 2-0 lead into halftime.
Sussex Tech answered in the second half when Liam Hollis scored in the 56th minute. Delmarva Christian quickly responded with a goal from senior James Baxter. Down 3-1, the Ravens rallied, as Frankly Roblero-Perez and Alex Garcia Velasquez, assisted by Alex Morales Rojas, found the back of the net to even the score.
The game was decided in overtime, when Hollis buried his second goal of the night off a setup from Anthony Andrews just five minutes into the extra period.
The Ravens outshot the Royals 17-8 and held a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks. Royals goalkeeper Isaiah McCluskey was outstanding with 13 saves, while Tech’s Austin Chavez turned away five shots.
“It was a hard-fought game,” said Ravens head coach Kyle Weed. “Both teams displayed resilience and determination. Our players showed tremendous grit, battling back from a 2-0 deficit and carrying that energy into overtime. I’m also proud of our coaching staff for managing player rotations and keeping us fresh for the extra period. As an alumnus of Delmarva Christian, it’s always meaningful to compete against them. They’re a well-coached, talented team, and we wish them the best this season.”
Royals head coach Luke Shiderly praised his team’s effort despite the tough finish.
“It was a great game. I thought our boys outplayed Tech for much of the match, but we ran out of gas in the final 15 minutes,” he said. “Our goalkeeper Isaiah McCluskey was lights out, and James Baxter was a brick wall in the back while also scoring for us. Jay Parrish and Cam Smithson were dynamic in the midfield, and overall I’m proud of our guys for hanging tough against such a large school.”
The Ravens will host Woodbridge Tuesday, Sept. 9, while the Royals welcome the Salisbury School.
Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs.
