Grizzlies boys soccer fall in OT

The Granite Hills High School boys soccer team lost 1-0 to Exeter in double-overtime in Wednesday’s non-league game at Jacob Rankin Stadium.

The game came down to the final three minutes of the second overtime, when a Monarchs (2-4-3) forward scored on a second-chance shot after Grizzlies’ goalkeeper Gary Hanson blocked the first shot attempt. It was Granite Hills (3-7-1) second loss in as many days.

This week the Grizzlies were down to just 11 players with a number of their plays traveling to Mexico for the holidays.

“It affects us a lot,” GHHS head coach Pedro Gonzalez said. “It’s hard to play with 11 players [and] no subs. Especially if you go to overtime you can see, the last overtime these guys were done.”

Many players were playing out of position and Granite Hills was down to just one goalie with their other goalie having to play in the field. Regardless of the circumstances, Gonzalez understood the situation and said his team will be prepared for East Sequoia League play on Wednesday, Jan. 10 when they host Strathmore.

“We played with the players we have,” Gonzalez said. “The players we have, the forwards, they’re not even forwards so they don’t have a good idea and I don’t work with them like forwards so I don’t blame them. Just asking them to do their best, but I do think we’re going to be prepared for league, see what happens.”

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