winchester — Former Millbrook goaltender Tim Catlett after watching Garrett Johnson score his “sixth or seventh” direct kick goal of the year in the regular season finale against Handley two years ago said this: I know it's coming in. ”
After an unwanted one-season absence from the Pioneers football team, Johnson showed Monday night that he's still as dangerous as ever when lined up behind a stationary ball.
With the ball just inside the semicircle in the center of the field, the 2022 All-Region 4C First Team selection grounded out to the inside of the left post from 22 yards out, less than three minutes into the second half. Breaking the scoreless tie.
Millbrook players immediately rushed to Johnson to celebrate the goal, which sparked the Pioneers' season-opening 2-1 win over Sherando in Class 4 Northwestern.
An impressive dribble run into the right corner led to Johnson's cross into the middle, giving the Pioneers their second goal in the 66th minute for a 2-0 lead, as junior midfielder Will Demas converted a cross from a Warriors player. He changed the direction of the ball and scored a goal.
With about three minutes remaining, Sherando got close on a goal from John Weisbrod, but Millbrook emerged victorious in a hard-fought battle. The Pioneers finished with a 12-for-11 shooting edge, forcing Warriors goaltender Connor Saunders to make eight saves.
Brant Upson made two saves for Millbrook, which was full of confidence in the second half.
“It was a tough game,” Demas said. “But once we got up, we kind of knew we had it.”
Millbrook literally had the wind in its head in the second half, but there's good reason for the Pioneers to feel the wind in their sails as Johnson prepares to take a free kick.
Demas and Johnson lined up behind the ball after Schelland was called for a handball while trying to clear just outside the penalty area. After Demas trotted forward and stepped over the ball without touching it, Johnson got behind him and did as he was told.
“Will told me to go to the left side, so I just went to the left side,” Johnson said.
After his goal, Johnson began running toward the Millbrook sideline and was quickly joined by his happy teammates on the field. Johnson's goal celebrations in a Pioneer uniform are well known — he led Winchester/Frederick County in 2022 with 13 points — but he didn't play in 2023. This season will be even more special for him.
“My grades were the best I'd ever been in my entire life, so I wasn't able to play,” Johnson said. “It's hard to explain [how it feels]from playing every day. [doing] Basically nothing. Getting the opportunity to come back here basically means everything to me. ”
Johnson is already having a standout year in the sport. He had a successful season in his first year playing high school football in the fall, earning All-District Second Team honors as a kicker, recording 33 tackles on defense and also logging some time at running back.
There's no doubt that Johnson will continue to perform well this spring from a statistical standpoint, but what Millbrook coach Rhonda Cottino is really impressed with right now is what kind of person Johnson has become.
“That year's loss completely changed his mindset,” Cottino said. “He used to be a good athlete. Now he's a better person. His demeanor in the classroom has completely changed. His work ethic on the field has doubled. ”
Johnson is clearly willing to do whatever it takes to help the Pioneers. He played as a forward in his sophomore year, but is now a center midfielder. Coach Millbrook moved him around quite a bit on Monday, with Johnson playing forward late in the first half and then moving to defense late in the game after Kyle Arthur was ejected with cramps.
“Right after tryouts in Week 1, I texted one of my former assistants and told him how important it was to have a player like that on the field,” said Cottino of Johnson. Monday field.
Sherando had the advantage in the first half with 6-5 shots, several of which were on target from long range. Sanders made four saves, Millbrook's Brant Upson made one save, and each goalie made one highlight-reel save on a close-range shot going low. Cottino had a good feeling about Millbrook's play in the first half in terms of possession, defense and communication.
“We definitely had to keep the ball on the ground as much as possible,” Demuth said. “It was really difficult to handle the ball in the air today.”
Johnson's goal gave the Pioneers momentum and Millbrook liked what it did to maintain the lead for the rest of the game.
“I think we worked really well together,” Demas said. “Everyone bought into the plan and everyone did their job.”
Cottino said he's really liked what he's seen of the team so far, especially since Millbrook was unable to play its second scrimmage.
“The team's attitude and work ethic is a lot different than last year's team,” Cottino said, which went from reaching the state quarterfinals in 2022 to 8-8-1 in 2023. . “The players want to turn things around,” he said. They will continue to work together as they did last year. ”
In the 78th minute, Schelland broke through Noah Smith's long pass into the middle and pushed the ball to Weisbrod, who evaded two defenders and past Upson for the goal. But in the end, the Warriors weren't able to make enough money.
In the two minutes leading up to Millbrook's second goal, Sherando had several opportunities. After Timmy Hill looked to see a path to goal, Pioneers center back CJ Zeller-Bender made a brilliant stop. The Warriors looked good for a moment after Weisbrod's goal, but after a cross into the box his shot went high from 15 yards out.
Sherando's Seth Wade, who made his head coaching debut Monday following the retirement of longtime coach Pat Anderson, praised Milbrook's performance. He said that in the future the team would be better served by having more possession and playing the ball on the ground, but said he liked the way the team fought.
“Millbrook played great,” said Wade, who was an assistant with the Warriors last year. “They took good free-kicks, created a lot of good chances and put us under a lot of pressure throughout the game. But it's a real shame that we couldn't do better, because our players had a lot of I thought he showed a great performance.''In the end, he will be competing there. ”
Wade feels the team has meshed well as they transition into the post-Anderson era.
“I think the culture is great and the players are great,” Wade said. “Everyone is very connected and enjoys being out together every day.”
Millbrook heads to Fauquier for its next game on Wednesday, and Sherando heads to Warren County on Friday.
