Indian Springs boys fall in championship game

Published 2:12 pm Saturday, May 8, 2010

Indian Springs School boys’ soccer coach Rik Tozzi worried his team’s youthful nature might show up at some point this season.

It happened at the worst time, as Tozzi’s group fell 1-0 to UMS-Wright in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 4A-1A championship match May 8 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville.

Indian Springs came out flat for the majority of the match and a last-minute, game-tying goal by Garrett Guevara was not allowed due to an offsides penalty in the championship game.

“We wasted the first 40 minutes,” Tozzi said. “We’re a young side. I thought we kind of sleep-walked and of course we couldn’t.”

Indian Springs (18-6-1) thought it had netted the game-tying goal with 24 seconds remaining, but Guevara’s shot was disallowed as he was ruled offsides on the play.

“I’m 40 yards away and I couldn’t tell,” Tozzi said. “The referee called it offsides and that’s all that matters. I wouldn’t criticize the referees.”

Indian Springs goalkeeper Doye Travis finished with three saves.

Despite the setback in the title match, Tozzi was pleased with the end result of the 2010 season.

“We had a great year,” Tozzi said. “We beat Altamont three times this year and we beat Randolph. Nobody expected us to get here.”