Tommy Alter wasn’t expecting to play soccer at the National High School Institute.

But if it meant victory over the theater cherubs, he was in.

Alter, of Montclair, N.J., was one of nine journalism cherubs who challenged the theater cherubs this summer to a soccer game in a field on Sheridan Road.

While Alter and the journalism team walked to the field, the theater cherubs jogged behind them, singing. But once they got to the field, the team's attitude changed.

“They looked big, athletic and fit,” Toby Hollis of Piedmont, Calif., said. “They had about 16 players with a cheering section while we had no more than nine players.”

The teams lined up in groups of nine against nine and kicked off.

Hillevi Gustafson, of Horby, Sweden, said she doesn’t play soccer often, but she likes the competition.

“A lot of those guys thought they could push me around.” Gustafson said. “I think I held my own.”

About 15 minutes into the 40-minute game, center forward Alter settled the ball and took a shot at the goal. The opposition goalie deflected the shot, but the rebound bounced right in front of left forward Michael Stern, of Livingston, N.J., who tapped it into the goal for a 1-0 lead.

The game continued with both sides battling for the ball. Gustafson still remembers stealing the ball from a theater cherub forward.

“For some reason I got the ball and kicked it away and next thing I knew I was moving up field,” Gustafson said. “It was a really sweet tackle.”

In another exchange Stern lofted a left foot cross to Alter. His connection bounced off the cross bar.

Two minutes later, defender Hunter Bradley, of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., launched a goal kick that bounced right off the left pole.

“There were a lot of good shots and a lot of good inspiring plays,” Hollis, who played midfielder, said. “We played a much better game than them.”

The game situation immediately changed when a theater cherub drilled a hard hitting shot to the left with 37 minutes left right over the goalie’s outstretched hand. With the game tied at 1-1, and five minutes before journalism cherubs had to return to campus for dinner, the teams agreed to sudden death. The team with the next goal would win.

Then the journalism cherubs took a risk and switched their goalie to try and have an advantage on the field. This change did not stop a theater cherub’s lob that sealed their victory. Final score: theater cherubs win 2-1.

“Everyone played really well and exceeded expectations,” Hollis said. “We just got unlucky towards the end.”

Even so, Alter and the rest of the team said they enjoyed the friendly competition.

“I hadn’t played in quite a long while,” Alter said. “I’m glad I did though. I had a fun time.”