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By John Hartsock
jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- According to veteran Hollidaysburg Area High School boys soccer coach Craig Shale, freshman striker Micah Blake is a catalyst who makes things happen out on the field for the Golden Tigers.
"He can do that,'' Shale said. "He brings a lot of energy to the team. He's a good quality technical player who reads the game well and plays it at a very high level.''
Blake was the man of the hour Wednesday night for the Tigers in a District 6 Class 3A semifinal-round playoff game at Tiger Stadium, accounting for the only goal of the game at the 20:49 mark of the second half to give second-seeded Hollidaysburg a 1-0 win over third-seeded Central Mountain.
The victory punched Hollidaysburg's ticket into next Tuesday night's championship game at a site to be determined. The Golden Tigers will meet the winner of tonight's semifinal matchup between top-seeded Bellefonte and fourth-seeded Tyrone in next Tuesday's final.
With the score tied in Wednesday's game, the speedy Blake broke free down the left side of the field after taking an assist from sophomore forward Alex Arbogast. Blake then unleashed a quick shot that beat junior Central Mountain keeper Jaggar Pardoe to win the game for the Tigers.
"I was pretty much in the open all game long,'' Blake said. "I got a through ball from Alex Arbogast and I chipped it over (Pardoe's) head. I was just trying to stay composed and finish the play.''
The fact that he did made all the difference in a game which was tightly-contested.
"What a finish,'' Shale marveled about Blake's big goal. "That's one of the best goals that I've ever seen here at Tiger Stadium.''
Both teams had seven shots on goal, with both Pardoe and Hollidaysburg freshman keeper Liam Jancula making some key stops.
Jancula came out of the cage to curtail two Central Mountain breakaway attempts in the second half, with one shot narrowly rolling wide of the far post. Jancula also made a nice save of a straight-on attempt with three minutes left, preserving the Hollidaysburg lead.
Central Mountain also had a head shot off a free kick hit the crossbar right before time expired in the first half.
"We had our chances, we just didn't put them away,'' said Central Mountain coach Billy Hook, whose team wrapped up a 7-9-3 season. "We had three or four chances, and they had a couple too, but they made the big shot.''
Shale was pleased with his team's defensive effort.
"Our back five played well in the second half, and our keeper made some nice saves when we needed him to do so,'' Shale said.
Hollidaysburg (15-3-1) returns to the District 6 Class 3A championship game after beating Bellefonte there last season.
"It's very exciting,'' Blake said of Wednesday's win and next Tuesday's berth in the championship game. "It's a big opportunity for us.''
SCORE BY HALVES
Central Mountain 0 0--0
Hollidaysburg 0 1--1
Second half: 1, H--Blake (Arbogast), 20:49.
Shots on goal: Hollidaysburg 7, Central Mountain 7.
Saves - Pardoe, CM, 6; Jancula, H, 7.
Records: Central Mountain (7-9-3); Hollidaysburg (15-3-1).