Riverheads blanks Gap

By Doug Layman Correspondent
Published: May 13, 2008

GREENVILLE — Riverheads’ Brendan Desmond doesn’t show up in many game stats. But the Gladiator senior leaves his prints in nearly every part of the pitch.
Tuesday was no exception as the Gladiators won an important 2-0 match against visiting Buffalo Gap in Shenandoah District soccer action.
Desmond is a stopper — a key defensive player that is responsible for keeping the ball away from Gladiator keeper Jeremy Heizer and pushing the ball back toward the offensive side of the pitch.
It is a job that he embraces with the zest and attitude of a typical leader.
“Brendan was all over the place tonight,” Riverheads coach Dickie Bell said. “I bet he had over 100 touches tonight.”
When Desmond wasn’t intercepting a pass or heading a punt back to a teammate, he was tackling the Gap sweeper and passing the ball downfield to his teammates.
“I’m supposed to help keep the ball in the offensive third of the field,” Desmond said.  “I help the guys up front — they score all the points, but I’m just trying to get the ball to them so that they can take care of the offense.”
Desmond did his job well enough for Riverheads (12-4, 3-3 Shenandoah) to grab the win.
Joey Waltz knocked in the first Gladiator score in the sixth minute when he took a rebound from Gap keeper Tommy Dillard and hit the open net from about 10 yards out.
Then, Tate Burkholder added the second goal with some nifty footwork and a breakaway goal in the 16th minute.
“We’ve had a challenging year,” Bell said. “With all the injuries and illnesses we’ve endured, the kids stayed really focused tonight.  They really stepped up.”
Bell said that Desmond gives it his all every single day. 
“Brendan has been a leader for us all year.  We’ve always been impressed with his attitude and work ethic.”
Desmond’s attitude and hard play is just a carry-over from his other sports.
In football, he has won Robert Casto’s 110 percent award two straight years.
“That is a quality that all of my coaches have instilled in us,” he said. “I’m not the only one who goes after it.”
But for Desmond, his attitude is his way of life.
“That’s just the way I approach athletics,” he said. “You have to be in good shape to play soccer and I run indoor track to get the endurance and speed. You also have to be physical and I get that physical strength from football.”
But for Buffalo Gap Tuesday night, the Bison ran into a wall of Red Pride led by its stopper.
In the JV game, the Bison came out on top of a 4-1 win. Jamie Benbow score two goals and an assist in the win while Jake Dudley and Sheldon Waldron added one each. The Gladiator goal was scored by Leo Gowen.
The Gladiators will travel to Stonewall Jackson on Tuesday for the first round of the Shenandoah District tournament.