Sports Zone

Bulldogs, Billies battle to scoreless finish

CRESWELL –  A spirited demarcation existed in the stands of the Creswell field on Monday night – despite the assembly sitting a mere couple of feet away from each other. The section on the right would roar and cheer, while the left deployed a barrage of boos with some parents shooting up from their seats in a flurry of frustration. The incongruent sections would take turns in these roles in a forever pendulum. 

This is expected from a nail-biting scorless game against two long-standing rivalry schools, who are both shoulder to shoulder in their rankings. While these two teams dueled fiercely for 90 minutes, the No. 12 Creswell Bulldogs and No. 11 Pleasant Hill Billies ended their battle 0-0.

Oct 14 2024; Pleasant Hill’s Ellie Epperson and Mila Nguyen attempting to settle the ball. Credit: Craig Strobeck.

Pleasant Hill’s coach, Chris Hammond, expressed appreciation for the crowd and how it helped his players maintain a consistent high level of adrenaline for the duration of the game.

“So many of the girls felt like this was not an away game,” Hammond said. “I was so happy with how many showed up, not just the usual parents and family, but a lot of students. Pleasant Hill was great about making a concerted effort to say, ‘Hey, this is a big game. This is our big rival.’ When they’d make a good play and the crowd would go crazy, it helped pick them up and gave them more energy to fight and maintain their level of intensity. It also helped them when they were tired too.”

The Pleasant Hill Middle School girl’s soccer team and Pleasant Hill volleyball team traveled to Creswell to support and were the standout screechers who jolted the Bulldogs at times. Creswell spectators even expressed shock over Pleasant Hill’s turnout, with one who compared it to a football crowd and remarked that “this is a crowd you’d find in football, basketball, or volleyball.” Nevertheless, the Bulldogs volleyball team and students also attended the game and their cheers clashed with Pleasant Hill’s in equal fervor.

Oct 14 2024; Pleasant Hill’s crowd at Creswell’s field. Credit: Craig Strobeck

However, head coach Dan Smathers felt differently about the crowd. He expressed that the concoction of noises impacted the Bulldogs’ composure. This is due to the team’s younger personnel.

“The crowd frenzied, and then we get frenzied on the field,” Smathers said. “We need to learn how to calm down. We need to learn how to calm down and just pass a little bit more and know, ‘We’ll be okay. We’re gonna work on that. It’s a mindset”

A chief reason for the scoreless game was Pleasant Hill’s imposing and relentless defense. Which, due to their fiery physicality caused seven fouls, but despite the Bulldogs’ free kicks from their fouls, the Billies refused to let them score.

“That’s one of the things that we’re proud of,” Hammond said. “Not many teams can score on us. Creswell is near the top of the league, yet, they haven’t scored on us in both games. Part of it is they do a great job of identifying when the ball’s coming down. We also have an amazing keeper, too. Also, Ellie Epperson, a defense midfielder who’s one of our senior captains, is someone you can never run into. I’ve run into her accidentally in practice, it’s like, ‘Wow.’ She’s like a wall; she’s just concrete.”

This was to the disappointment of Smathers, who had hoped to at least score one goal on Senior Night.

“We knew that it would be a tough game,” Smathers said. “They have a very tough defense, and they haven’t let a lot of goals in. They’re a good team, but we were hoping for at least one goal. We didn’t get it. We’ll just move on and see what happens next.”

Oct 14 2024; Creswell forward, Mila Nguyen, preparing to strike the ball on Monday night. Credit: Craig Strobeck.

Smathers also added that the disappointing aspect is compounded by the team’s overall shift in performance in the last half of the season. According to Smathers, the Bulldogs’ performance was stronger in the first games and “they’re still trying to figure out why.” 

 Although Hammond was disappointed, he focused on the team’s effort and intensity, emphasizing the importance of giving their best in every game.

“We felt like we could have won this game. I think we controlled the ball well, especially in the first half. We possessed. Yeah, I mean, in some ways, we’re disappointed, but they fought a good fight on a road game. I’m happy that they put forth such a good effort. That’s what I focus on. ‘Did you give everything you had?’ ‘Did you try as hard as you could?’ And I think they gave it everything they had. So I’ll accept a tie, even though I felt like we could have and should have won it’s not a big deal. We just keep rolling with that same level of intensity, and every game, and we’ll be just fine,” he said.

Oct 14, 2024; Pleasant Hill’s Isabel Hammond-Mendez with the ball while Cresell’s Elliette Kinney pressures. In the back, second Pleasant Hill player Ellie Epperson keeps watch. Credit: Craig Strobeck
Your support helps The Chronicle Foundation uncover critical stories and strengthen our community. Donate today.

Eat Local

Support Local

Newsletter sign-up