Boys soccer: Goalie Jonathon Janosik saves the day for Amherst in 2-1 win over Lakewood

AMHERST — With the pressure on and the game on the line, Amherst goalkeeper Jonathon Janosik calmly stepped up and got the job done. Janosik stopped a penalty kick from Lakewood forward Quincy Zvomuya with 41 seconds left in the game to preserve Amherst's 2-1 win. It was one of 14 saves Janosik made on the night and one the junior said he prepared for in the film room earlier in the week with goalkeepers coach Kyle Dumais. "I always watch films of everyone's penalties with my goalie coach and he showed me they always go to the right side in the upper 90 and I just dove there," Janosik said. Not only did Janosik guess right and make the save on the penalty kick, he also was able to deflect the ball away from the frame and deny Lakewood a chance to have another attempt to score off the rebound. "He's playing on such a high level, he's one of the best goalkeepers in the state of Ohio right now," Amherst coach Brett Thompson said ofJanosik. "I just felt he was going to make the save. I was more worried about the rebound." The Comets improved to 8-2-2 and have gone 5-1-1 in their last seven games. "This was a great game with, in my opinion, two great teams," Thompson said. "To beat them is a good win for us." If it wouldn't have been for the play of senior midfielder-forward Landon Plumb in the attacking third, the Comets might not have even been in a position to win. Plumb scored both Amherst goals, the first coming off a Nathan Stewart assist midway through the first half. The second, which game Amherst its first lead, came off of a Devin Ramirez assist in the 63rd minute. "I had to work hard for both of those goals," Plumb said. "I was really pushing the defense heavy. And I have to shout out my teammates for working really hard to put me in position to score both of the goals. The was a really good team we played. They're quick and they're coached well. Our defense stood with them and our hard work got it done." After a handball call in the box which led to the penalty kick, there were some nervous moments for Plumb and his teammates waiting to see if their hard work was going to earn them the win or a draw. "My heart was beating so fast. I didn't want to tie this game after we worked so hard," Plumb said. "I knew Johnny had it, he's saved PKs before. He's such a good goalie." Marcos Hueter scored the lone goal for the Rangers (5-4-2) 12 minutes into the game. "We bend but we don't break," Thompson said. "We don't have the greatest team in the world but we have players who are hard working, athletic and coachable. The play together and for each other." Thompson also credited his defense that worked in front of Janosik to negate the effect of the Rangers defense spending much of the second half in its attacking third. "Our center backs, Jacob Jesco and Ryan Naelitz, and all of the other guys back there. I can't say enough about them," Thompson said. "They're always so calm and composed." Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Amherst 2, Lakewood 1 GOALS: (L) Marocs Hueter (12th minute); (A) Landon Plumb (20th minute, 63rd minute) ASSISTS: (A) Nathan Stewart, Devin Ramirez SAVES: (L) Louis Van Der Kuil 3; (A) Jonathan Janosik 14 SHOTS ON GOAL: Lakewood 15, Amherst 5 FOULS: Lakewood 8, Amherst 5 OFFSIDES: Lakewood 1 CORNER KICKS: Lakewood 12, Amherst 1 HALFTIME: 1-1