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Rams' second-half success
It had almost become expected for the Robinson boys soccer team to score late and escape with a win.Sophomore Alex Makcumbi had notched goals in the 66th and 75th minutes, respectively, during the Rams' Virginia AAA state quarterfinal and semifinal wins, as Makcumbi and Co. once again made a second-half push.
“You always believe [in a comeback],” said Robinson coach Jac Cicala. “I'm never concerned when we're 1-0 down.”
But a combination of smothering defense and even better goalkeeping from its Deep Run counterparts kept Robinson off the board. And out of the record books.
Deep Run (22-2-1) won its first-ever state title, while Robinson's drought continued last Saturday at Westfield High School when the Wildcats used a goal in the 12th minute to procure a 1-0 win.
“They have to keep their heads up,” Cicala said of his players. “We left over 300 schools behind to get here.”
In oppressive heat, Robinson's offense started the match ice cold. The Rams produced only one shot during the first 40-minute half, and even that didn't come until more than 35 minutes in.
Though not at full strength because he re-injured his left knee during Robinson's semifinal win over Thomas Dale, senior Seth Goldman entered the game with seven minutes left in the first half and provided quite a spark for the Robinson attack.
Goldman, who'll play soccer at American University in the fall, immediately initiated a progression of passes which resulted in a shot off the foot of classmate Eli Hajjar. Still, Hajjar's chance from 20 yards out was snatched up quickly by Deep Run goalkeeper Cameron Murray (3 saves).
It was hardly a secret that Goldman didn't possess the speed and mobility that earned him Concorde District Player of the Year honors, but it also hardly mattered. His presence alone gave Robinson a jump, which is -- coincidentally -- precisely what his coach expected.
“That's exactly what we expect out of him and exactly what we needed,” said Cicala, whose team finished its season at 12-5-3. “He gave us a little something. We're a little thinner than I would like to be health-wise, but he gave everything he could for the program.”
Added Goldman, “I'm not very mobile, but my goal was to just feed [passes] and let people run under them.”
At halftime, Cicala made a tactical adjustment to play with five midfielders instead of four, helping Robinson take control of the middle portion of the field and “getting more organized in the middle third.”
As a result, the Rams produced seven shots in the second half, including an Eli Hajjar free kick and a header from senior Ben Peek that came within minutes of each other.
Much as he did all season, Robinson senior goalkeeper Adrian Dominguez, who'll play for VMI in the fall, kept the Rams in the hunt.
Dominguez finished with four saves -- three in the second half -- but his best came on a breakaway stop of Deep Run's Brandon Hauser with a little more than 11 minutes left.
In all, Robinson will graduate eight seniors from a team that delivered the school's first appearance in the state final since 2000, leaving underclassmen like Makcumbi to shoulder the load.
“The seniors just pull us together,” Makcumbi said. “They wanted to win it. We just wanted to win it for them.”
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