Okay Soccer Fans–it is officially playoff season. The brackets are out and here is a snapshot of the local teams and upcoming games.
The link to the brackets can be found at: https://www.wiaawi.org/Sports/BoysSoccer.aspx, Tried to activate the link, but no success. You can type into Google search Wisconsin Boys Soccer Playoffs and it’s the first website on the list.
Games of Interest From Big Rivers Conference and area teams: First Round Games on Tuesday October 16th
Division 1
#4 Memorial vs. #13 North @ Memorial at 4:00.
#3 Hudson vs. #14 Superior @ Hudson
#1 Green Bay Preble vs. #16 Chippewa Falls @ Preble
Division 2
#2 River Falls vs. #7 Menomonie @ River Falls at 4:00.
Division 3
#2 Rice Lake vs. #7 Ashland @ Rice Lake on Thursday at 7:00
Division 4
#1 Amery vs. #8 Regis @ Amery at 4:00
Notes:
–Doesn’t it seem like Memorial plays North every year early in the Regionals. Maybe not, but just seems like they always get paired up. Cross town rivalry and the playoffs make for an intriguing match up and an emotional game. North will bring it, Memorial needs to be ready.
–First time Hudson or Memorial have not been a #1 or #2 seed in a long time.
–Green Bay Preble is the only team from Sectional #1 to be in the Top 10 Coaches Poll. That makes them the overwhelming favorite to advance to State, but, if someone can upset them, it is a wide open bracket.
Get your popcorn ready….it is about to get real. Can Memorial get on a run and go deep into the Section.
Tuesday Games: Memorial 3 v Menomonie 0, Hudson 2 v Chippewa Falls 0, River Falls 4 v North 0
Thursday Games: Memorial 1 v Rice Lake 0, Menomonie 0 v Chippewa Falls 0, Hudson 0 v River Falls 1
Big Rivers Conference Final Standings
Win -Loss -Tie
Hudson 10-1-1 31 Points Conference Champs!!
Memorial 9-1-2 29 Points
Rice Lake 7-4-1 22 Points
River Falls 6-5-1 19 Points
North 4-6-2 14 Points
Menomonie 1-9-2 5 Points
Chippewa Falls 0-11-1 1 Points
River Falls with the most impressive week to end the season. Two wins and a BIG win over Hudson. Likely Hudson was resting players, Conference already wrapped up, but regardless, its a big win for River Falls, a little bump in the road, and maybe some doubt for Hudson. River Falls could be dangerous in the playoffs…a hot team building some confidence.
Original Post
Lets get caught up on a few games and the Conference Standings with just a few games left before playoff seeding.
Memorial vs. Park (Non-Conference). During their solid second half against Hudson, it felt like Maybe Memorial found something. A new gear, a new energy, may some urgency as the season is winding down and the seniors realize its now or never. Sometimes playing with that “we have nothing to lose” mentality can work for a team. In their next outing over the weekend, Memorial put a big number in their annual cross state rivalry with Park (Cottage Grove), winning 5-0. Typically, it is a very competitive gamer. I was not able to attend but can share that the score in their series is generally much closer. Working to get some details and who/how we scored but suffice to say, it is a solid win against a good program.
Memorial vs. Menomonie. After their first contest where Menomonie looked really strong and Memorial won 3-0 after leading only 1-0 at the half, Memorial put up another 3-0 win, but this one happened all in the first half as the game was called in the second half due to weather and field conditions. Goals from Nunez, Rosenberger and Smith was enough to carry the day. This marks 2 games and a half without giving up a goal.
Interesting Note. Memorial has played 10 straight games with giving up less than two goals. 5 of those games were shut outs and the remaining 5 they only gave up 1 goal. That is a good sign heading into the playoffs. The defense and GK play is sound and improving throughout the season.
Here is a quick update on the Big Rivers Conference play.
Postponed Games Recap
River Falls 5 v Menomonie 0
Chippewa Falls 0 v Rice Lake 2
North 0 v Hudson 4
Week of October 1 Games
Memorial 0 v North 0 , Hudson 1 v Rice Lake 0, River Falls 2 v Chippewa Falls 0
Hudson 1 v Memorial 1, Chippewa Falls 1 v North 4, Menomonie 2 v Rice Lake 2
Big Rivers Conference Standings
Win -Loss -Tie
Hudson 10-0-1 31 Points Conference Champs!!
Memorial 8-1-2 26 Points
Rice Lake 7-3-1 22 Points
North 4-5-2 14 Points
River Falls 4-5-1 13 Points
Menomonie 1-9-1 4 Points
Chippewa Falls 0-11-0 0 Points
Quick Take Aways:
-Top 3 spots in the Conference are settled. Hudson is your Big Rivers Conference Champions, Memorial is a solid 2nd and Rice Lake is a solid 3rd. All will be dangerous in the playoffs.
Games for the Week of OCTOBER 8
Tuesday Games: Memorial 3 v Menomonie 0, Hudson 2 v Chippewa Falls 0, River Falls v North
Thursday Games: Memorial v Rice Lake, Menomonie v Chippewa Falls, Hudson v River Falls
Other Notes
Coaches Poll for October 8th week: 1. Marquette 2. Neenah 3. Kettle Moraine 4. Verona 5. Madison West 6. Sussex Hamilton 7. Green Bay Preble 8. Sun Prairie 9. Hartford 10. Madison Memorial
Looks like to get to State, we will have to get past Green Bay Preble….would love to play them again.
Okay okay, I know. Why haven’t I posted yet after two big games this week. It’s a fair question. Can I use the I’m busy excuse…probably not, everyone is busy. Can I use the work got in thew way excuse, probably not, I have used that one a few times. Can I use the fact I was bummed out after the tie to North this week, because that is all I have really. Was hoping for a big Hudson win to pick me back up.
It was an interesting week for Memorial. Coming off their best weekend of the year and facing a city rivalry game and then their biggest conference game of the year against Hudson. Let’s get into it.
Memorial vs. North 0-0
First, let’s discuss North a bit. Maybe the best North team I have sen in a number of years, maybe ever. I have followed High School soccer seriously since 2008-2009. In my time, North has never seriously challenged Memorial in the standings or on the pitch. It has been a one-sided affair. I may not have it exact, but I think 20+ wins in a row for the Abes. And most of those were not very competitive yo be honest. So what is different.
-North has some players. I think their midfielder, #10, sorry I did not get the name, but will research, was the best player on the field on Tuesday. I hear he is on St. Croix’s top academy team and it showed. Fast, quick, great feet, great vision, great field awareness. Really impressive. He game Memorial trouble all night, and not just one player, their midfield was really good. Their defense has improved and is a strong unit. They play smart. Their GK made some impressive stops and played aggressive. They have some speed up top and can be dangerous on the counter attack. I think their forwards have outscored Memorial this year.
-North brought some attitude and swag. North did not sit back in the low block and just defend all night. North possessed. North counter attacked, North found space in the midfield and out wide to put pressure on Memorials defense. North looked dangerous. Lots and lots of previous games North really was not in the game. You would just wait for Memorial to score. You knew it was coming, it was just a matter of time. 10 North players behind the ball all night. The ball in the Memorial zone all night. Not on Tuesday. It was a very competitive game. Kudos to North. Well played.
-Memorial was just a step slow or a step off all night. After watching them over the weekend, this one felt a little different. Not sure. Just speculating, but they were coming off their best soccer of the year, maybe thinking about Hudson on Thursday, maybe overlooking an opponent they have defeated for like 10 years straight, they are a young and inexperienced team, they are still learning….you get it. It is a process. You need to learn tough lessons. Bringing it every night and playing your best is critical. They did not play bad….just not quite the level required. They out shot North but a large margin. They left a few goals on the pitch. They were just a little off their game.
-North only had 5-6 shots but it seemed like everyone was a one on one vs. Tyler Hanson. Tyler had a highlight reel of saves. On another day with another GK, I could see North scoring 2-3 goals. Dangerous thru balls, dangerous balls over the top, dangerous crosses into the box. North looked more dangerous tonight than usual. In the past, it was dump and run and hope for a break. Not on Tuesday. It was calculated and precise and dangerous. It was a good game. 0-0 sounds boring, but this game was anything but boring. Maybe this is the start of a new rivalry. It would be great for city soccer. No more taking North lightly.
Lets check out some highlights. Almost got one at the end of the first half.
This was a tight call. If you watch the ball when it is passed, Brenner is very close to being on side. After a bunch of views I am leaning to it being a good call, but pretty close. On this night, Memorial was just one step from a PK.
Brenner with the flick. Just wide.
I know Zumwalt has a big goal coming soon. Painful to see how close he has gotten this year in some big moments. Keep shooting kid, you are due. A nice play and just needs another few inches wide and it is a goal.
This is the game right here. A great sequence for both teams. After some nice passing combinations, Brenner finds Peloquin in the box but a great kick save by the North keeper. The ball deflects to Zumwalt., yes, Zumwalt, and I am thinking this is it, this is the one, an open net. He hits it good, the goal is open, the keeper out of the play, but at the last moment a North defender slides into the space, turns his back and BAM….a butt shot….goal denied. Wow. Just wow. Clearly it was not meant to be on this night for Memorial; North steps up and breaks the Streak. Bummer dude!
Memorial vs. Hudson 1-1
So, sometime a tie feels like a loss, see notes above for North game. But sometimes a tie almost feels like a win. See notes below on Hudson game.
First Half. A cold rainy night for soccer but it did not seem to impact the play on the field. Hudson showed why they are undefeated in the first half and looked the better team. Their midfield is very impressive. Kolton Prater can really dominate a game from midfield. His possession, his field vision, his passing and sometimes his shooting make him my choice for the Player of the Year in Conference. Hudson’s defense is big, fast, athletic, skilled, aggressive and tough to deal with. They really shut down Memorials first half attacks.
The first half Memorial was on their heels a bit. Hudson found space in midfield, connected with wing players and narrowly missed on two shots they just rolled wide by inches. I think the first one from Prater hit the right post. GK Hanson had to play sweeper keeper on a few occasions to keep the score at 0-0. Hudson just looked a little better across the pitch. Memorial’s most dangerous moments came on set plays. They earned a handful of corners and each time, there were chances to score. Hudson cleaned things up each time, but the corners looked dangerous. Not many shots from the regular course of play. Too many thru balls that did not connect or balls into space that the Hudson defense cleaned up. It feels this defense is too good to beat that way. Combination play and passing to feet seems the ticket against Hudson. Late in the half on a long free kick (35-40 yards), Hudson struck gold. A floated ball from Prater found the head of a Hudson player and it just floated into the goal. Hanson just missed a punch to clear the ball. A game of inches, but Hudson took advantage and went into half up 1-0.
Second Half. Would love to hear the halftime talk. Kite has done a great job with this team and it showed again in the second half last night. The team looked different to start the second half. They were energized. They were pressing all over the field. They were winning balls and improving their possession and passing. If you walked into the game in the second half, you would have thought Memorial was the leader of the conference and the better team. It was a good sign.
After Tuesday’s tie, the Conference crown seemed lost. No way Hudson would lose a game and tie a game with only a few left. The real focus now was to keep improving and be at the peak of your season entering the playoffs. Conference titles are nice, but lets move on to getting ready for post season. There was a lesson that needed to be learned. Overcome a tough game (tie to North) and overcome a deficit against a very good team (down 1-0 at the half to Hudson). Find a way and lift your game. And that is what happened. You could feel the energy swing, you could feel it with players and as well on the bench. The coaches were fully engaged. The players were working hard. And it showed! Memorials started connecting and improving their possession. Balls were going to feet. Players were moving better. More players were in the attack. Fewer long balls into space. Harder tackles, quicker stepping to deny possession to Hudson. More precise play to break down the defense. I think the team can take their second half against Hudson and build on it. I know this…I would not want to play Memorial in the playoffs as the higher seeded team. They have been right there all year and if they put it together….watch out.
Lets take a look at some highlights.
Jared is going to score on one of these again this year. Another close one in the first half.
Sulzer narrowly misses the equalizer. Memorial was pressing all half. Set plays were dangerous all half. Almost!!
So, a little foreshadowing for you. Take a look at this play from Peloquin. A ball near the end line , a shot rifled across the box, Brenner lurking dangerously in the box…but a save by the GK. Just sayin, maybe something like this might happen again later.
Sometimes you forget the play before the play. Here it is. If not for the constant pressure from Peloquin and the hustle from Rosenberger, the throw in that results might never have happened. Sometimes the play before the play is as important or more important.
Look familiar. Peloquin along the line, a cross rifled into the box, Brenner lurking…..BAM. Beautiful header….GOOOOAAAAALLLL!
Memorial kept pressing and almost got a game winner. Bummer dude!
So an interesting week. Two ties…two very competitive games. I hope the lingering memory will be the second half comeback against Hudson, out playing the conference leaders and coming from a goal down. Let’s build off that and be a very dangerous team in the playoffs. Go Abes. Trust the process!
Memorial stepped out of Big Rivers Conference for a weekend Quad over the past two days. And a successful weekend it was. On Friday night, Memorial faced off against Wauwatosa East, coached by an old friend of the program. Jordan Stein, who spent several years coaching in the ECU club program as well as a year coaching Memorial JV, is now the head coach of Wauwatosa East Boys soccer program. It was great to see Jordan. I expect big things from him at Tosa. He has a young tam….really young team….so this year is more about development. Watch out in the coming years once he gets time to fully implement his style and program. A great young man and happy for his success. Having said that, I was also excited that Memorial stepped up and played a really solid game against.
The first half was one of the most complete halves we have played this year. The energy was excellent. The boys were pressing all over the field. Fullbacks were fully engaged forward and making an impact. The midfield was strong, controlling Tosa’s best player and limiting their possession. The wing play was dynamic all game. Forward and attacking midfielders were dangerous all game as well. It was an impressive half of soccer. As well, the goals were falling tonight too. A few from unexpected places. The second half was what you expect. After getting to half at 3-0, you want to control and kill off the game and all threats. That is what Memorial did….a well played, professional 3-0 victory for the Abes. Their first non-conference win this year after being close a few times.
-Will Hartman. I see you! Welcome to Varsity. Way top make your minutes count young fella. 4 goals in the past three games. Scoring from unexpected places is a nice added benefit as the season develops. Takes some pressure off the key goal scorers. Keeps a defense honest.
-Justin Smith. I see you too young fella. Multiple assists and firing crosses into dangerous spots on demand.
-Coaching staff. I feel you too. I really like to line up moves and adjustments this year. Multiple moves all appear to be paying dividends. Players are getting comfortable. Rotations are getting set. Players are delivering now that they fully understand their roles. Kudos to Coach Kite and Wirth on a job well done so far. Young teams take time and I like how the team is developing.
Memorial v. Madison East
The second game of the quad was today. I did not stay but did get a quick scoring report. I watched most of the Madison East v. Oshkosh West game on Friday night and can confirm both teams were full of talented players, fast wingers, dynamic forwards and aggressive defenders. I knew that whoever came away with the win was going to be a true test for Memorial. I did a little research on Madison East. They are in one of the most difficult conferences in Wisconsin…The Big 8. Currently The Big 8 has 4 teams ranked in the Top 10 in the Recent Coaches Poll….yes, 4 teams. Verona-5, Madison West-7, Madison Memorial-8, Sun Prairie-9. Can you imagine that. Crazy. If the Big Rivers had 4 teams ranked. Every conference game is a war.. Very hard conference. Madison East is not ranked but has a win over Madison West and a tie against Madison Memorial. They are a very good team, a high quality opponent.
If I have not mentioned…Memorial 2 – Madison East 1. Big win for the Abes. 1-1 at the half on a goal from recently hot Will Hartman. A game winner from Mitch Brenner, Mr. Clutch on a free kick. I think…so far…this is the best win of the season for Memorial. A great sign heading into the final third of the season and heading into the big week next week in Big rivers. North on Tuesday and then the big one against Hudson on Thursday.
-The Friday night game was a great primer for Hudson. On turf, under the lights, cool weather. Feels the coaches have the boys ready.
-Oshkosh West defeated Wauwatosa East 2-1 in the early game this morning.
Lets check out some highlights.
Will Hartman. Right spot, right time….delivers.
Will Hartman. Right spot, right time…delivers…Volume II. Sorry about the video quality. Should have zoomed out a bit but was trying to get some close up shots for everyone..Another cold night….hands might have been shaking a bit…bigger coat next time. I promise to keep getting better, but hey, where else can you go to get this type of average quality, shaky video of your favorite boys soccer team. I say nowhere, so we are stuck with each other and poor quality video. Enjoy!
Missed the Luke Rosenberger goal, I actually thought I had it, hit the record button, was about to view it afterwards and bam….the light was not blinking. I missed the button in my haste to record. See notes above on my poor quality video. More promises to get better…insert here…but I found this. A nice representation. I hope you appreciate the comparison Luke!
I was not able to attend the game, but wanted to drop in a few updates for everyone in case you missed it as well. Memorial scored early on a Brenner goal but River Falls quickly matched them at the 8 minute mark for a 1-1 game. Memorial responded in the 16th minute on a goal by Rosenberger. A great sign that these two are scoring goals and leading the team. 2-1 at the half until another Memorial goal by Brenner…he is getting hot right now….in the 56th minute made it 3-1. Late goals at the end by Memorial in the 89th minute extended the lead to 5-1. Solid win by the Abes.
-Will Hartman and Ashton Johnson scored their first Varsity goals for Memorial…always a cool moment. Well done lads!
-Memorial out shot River Falls 17-4, sign of a dominating performance, even if it was reasonably close on the score line for most of the game.
-Big Week next week for the Abes. Rivalry game with North on Tuesday and then the Big Rivers Showdown with Hudson on Thursday. Can Memorial grab a share of first or will Hudson put a strangle hold on the title.
Here is a quick update on the Big Rivers Conference play.
September 17th Games:
Memorial 3 Rice Lake 0
Hudson 8 River Falls 2
Menomonie 3 Chippewa Falls 0
River Falls v Menomonie Postponed to 9.29
Chippewa Falls v Rice Lake Postponed
North v Hudson Postponed
September 24th Games:
Rice Lake 2 River Falls 1
North 3 Menomonie 0
Memorial 9 Chippewa Falls 1
Rice Lake 2 North 1
Memorial 5 River Falls 1
Hudson 9 Menomonie 0
Big Rivers Conference Standings
Win -Loss -Tie
Hudson 7-0-0 21 Points
Memorial 7-1-0 21 Points
Rice Lake 6-2-0 18 Points
North 3-4-1 10 Points
River Falls 2-5-1 7 Points
Menomonie 1-7-0 3 Points
Chippewa Falls 0-0-7 0 Points
Quick Take Aways:
-Hudson is in control, but the second Memorial v Hudson game still looms. Memorial will have a full squad for the rematch….so maybe a different result?
-North had a chance to make a real statement, but Rice Lake won 2-1 in the recent match up to maintain their solid third place position..
-Menomonie had some real momentum last week, but a bit of a disappointment for me to lose both games by a combined 12-0 score.
Games for the Week of OCTOBER 1
Tuesday Games: Memorial v North, Hudson v Rice Lake, River Falls v Chippewa Falls
Thursday Games: Hudson v Memorial, Chippewa Falls v North, Menomonie v Rice Lake
Game of the Week: Hudson v Memorial.
Here we go again. The last game was decided in the last minutes with a close fought 1-0 win for Hudson. Can Memorial return the favor. Will the new line up produce the results needed to take down a very good Hudson team. This likely decides the Conference Champion for the season. Big Game!!
The second half of the Big Rivers Conference play has started. Teams have completed their first 6 games and are now working thru their second wave of games. Memorial hosted Chippewa Falls last night on a cool…okay, maybe a bit cold…and a little rain too, ugh. Lets take a quick look back. Memorial opened their conference play with a 3-1 win over Chippewa Falls on August 30. Kind of a blah game….kind of played down to the competition a bit. A young team in just their 2nd game of the season, missing a few key elements.
Flash forward to last night. A more mature team, playing in their 10th game, with a full squad (almost), and now with positions, substitution patterns, and style of play all being worked out. The score in Round 2 against Chippewa Falls was 9-1. Brenner with 3, Sulzer and Christopherson with 2 each, Hanson, yes Hanson with a goal and the goal of the night from Nunez. So…what do we make of that.
A Few Observations
-No more playing down to the competition. Memorial seemed more focused with more energy. They were flying around the field from the first whistle and imposing their will and style of play onto CF all night. It really did not matter the score. The intensity was there all night. That is a good sign with some big games coming soon.
-A little change in positions looks to be working and paying dividends. Brenner seems to be locked into the 9 (Striker) spot now and he is dynamic up top. He finished the night with a hat trick. Scored on a nice chip after a great pass thru the defense. Scored on a nice volley touch on a ball in the box. He is dangerous. He has a scorers mentality. He has skills. He needs to touch the ball in dangerous spots because he scores goals.
-Jared Nunez has found a home in the Attacking Midfield spot. Does he remind anyone of a younger version of Will Orser….or is that just me. He really controls the midfield. has a calmness about him. Has great passing instincts. Has really quick feet and wins balls. And….he has some serious confidence and he is starting to score some goals. Last night he delivered maybe the goal of the year. he stunner really. From I am guessing in the 30 yard range. Wow. I was shocked he took the shot…it was not really a shot you would expect. He saw it differently…he scorched a shot, a rocket, from deep into the corner of the net. It shocked the Chippewa Falls GK as well. He did not move an inch. Was frozen in place. Amazing goal….and he is a freshman. We got a good one!
-Getting Peloquin out wide and using Sulzer out wide as wingers is creating some speed wide and creating chances. Throw in a great rotation including Zumwalt, Smith, and Hartman and the wing play looks improved. 15 shots on goal last night.
-Larson has settled into the back four and looking comfortable. Only 1 shot allowed last night. Senior leadership on the back line will be crucial moving forward. Larson and Sulzer missed the first Hudson game. Really curious is they make a difference in Game 2.
Lets Look at Some Game Highlights
Now up top, Brenner is a really dangerous player. A quick video, but the vision to anticipate the pass and the calm head to chip the GK is really impressive. Stay hot Mitch!
Here is the goal of the night for me. Now I have to admit, I left with about 10 minutes to go and the Abes up 5-0. I had 4 goals on video, plenty for the blog….was getting cold…hate to admit that…but it’s true. I needed a bigger coat. Now maybe the PK by Hanson would have been a good one for video….sorry Tyler. Two goals from Christopherson would have been cool as well…sorry Dalton. But…the goal below was pretty sweet. It’s a longer video so hang in there. I lost the ball a few times…filming in the rain and wind and trying to hold an umbrella presents its challenges. I even moved off Jared just before the shot as I was thinking he was about to pass it forward. He shot it…and oh did he shoot it well. I will make sure to hold the camera on him in the future. A shot could come at any time from anywhere.
Really cool to see Sulzer get into the scoring column. I think he will be an important player down the stretch. Here is the first of two. Did Larson knock it in. Did it go in just before Larson touches it. Not sure. Simon may have an argument, but the announcer and box score give it to Alex.
Here is a crazy long goal. Larson with a free kick from the Abes half of the field. A really deep kick…a header from a Chippewa defender….a high karate kick volley from Alex and then a quick touch to jam it into the goal. Crazy, but hey, we’ll take it. Another confidence boost for Sulzer.
Senior Night. Thank you Mom and Dad.
I could not resist to get some video of Senior Night celebration. Supporting your player is an honor and privilege. It is a bit sad as a parent knowing its your sons last season. Only a few games left to watch them play Old Abe soccer and be part of the Memorial Family. I feel pretty connected after 8+ years. Well done parents. Keep cheering them on. Seniors–congratulations on your Memorial career. There are still some memories to make this year!!
From Left to Right: Tyler Hanson, Jacob Harmsen, Mitch Brenner, Alex Sulzer, Jacob Hartkemeyer, Dalton Christopherson, Carlos Verduzco, Lucas Zumwalt, Simon Larson, Connor Stadnyk.
Big Rivers Conference play is about halfway thru, a few games postponed this week due to weather. How is it looking and what is in store this week. I know you want to know!
Here is a quick update on the Big Rivers Conference play.
Week of September 11th Games:
Hudson 1 Memorial 0
North 8 Chippewa Falls 3
Rice Lake 2 Menomonie 0
River Falls 3 North 3
Memorial 3 Menomonie 0
Hudson 3 Chippewa Falls 0
September 17th Games:
Memorial 3 Rice Lake 0
Hudson 8 River Falls 2
Menomonie 3 Chippewa Falls 0
River Falls v Menomonie Postponed to 9.29
Chippewa Falls v Rice Lake Postponed
North v Hudson Postponed
Big Rivers Conference Standings
W-T-L
Hudson 6-0-0 18 Points
Memorial 5-0-1 15 Points
Rice Lake 4-0-2 12 Points
River Falls 2-1-3 7 Points
North 2-1-3 7 Points
Menomonie 1-0-5 3 Points
Chippewa Falls 0-0-6 0 Points
Quick Take Aways:
-Hudson is in control, but the second Memorial v Hudson game still looms. Memorial will have a full squad for the rematch….so maybe a different result?
-Memorial a solid second place, but with something to prove in their next match with Hudson.
-Rice Lake a solid third, but after a strong start, a bit of a wobble. Can they hold on for third and get a good seeding for their playoffs.
-Menomonie is no longer in the cellar. They have had a nice run lately, secured their first conference win…..well, I can’t remember their last conference win. It has been awhile. Don’t sleep on Menomonie, they may be dangerous in the back half of conference.
Games for the Week of September 24th
Tuesday Games: Chippewa Falls v Memorial, North v. Menomonie, River Falls v Rice Lake
Thursday Games: Rice Lake v North, Memorial v. River Falls, Menomonie v. Hudson
Game of the Week: North v Menomonie.
No “BIG GAMES” this week if form holds. Always can be an upset, but no Top 3 games. So, I am thinking the real interesting match up is Menomonie v North. Is North ready to take a step toward the Top 3? Can Menomonie keep their recent good form going and upset a favored team and threaten a To 4 finish?
Interesting Note: On Wednesday’s edition of the Leader Telegram the feature article was about Menomonie and their victory over Chippewa Falls 3-1. Amazing really. A feature article on Menomonie Soccer. I have been in the area 18 years….might be the first time Menomonie….not a local school…has had the feature article in the sports page. Quite a statement about their program. I was shocked to see it. Thought maybe it was about Chippewa. Good for you Menomonie, good for you!
Tuesday nights clash with Rice Lake marked the midpoint in Conference play for the Old Abes and they finished off a solid 3-0 win over Rice Lake and ended their first half of conference play at 5-1, just one game back of Conference leading Hudson. Tuesday nights game seemed to mark a turning point for the season.
-A full roster is now available to the coaches, although some tough luck for Biwer. Fingers crossed he might make it back.
-9 games played provides the coaching staff enough games to evaluate the roster and find the right combinations of play.
-Tough non-conference games….and a few difficult losses provide coaching opportunities, growth opportunities and maybe a little chip on the shoulder. They have been close, but the really big win has eluded them so far this year.
Against Rice Lake the team looked solid all night. Possession was strong and the new midfield combinations seems to be improving both the attack and shutting down counter attacks. Early this year, Jared Nunez spend most of his time on the wing, but lately his play in the midfield has steadied that part of the game. He is calm on the ball, makes good decisions, is able to find wingers and forwards and also is able to find shots. The combination of Brenner and Rosenberger in the 9 and 10 spots is starting to click as well. They lead the team with 9 and 6 goals respectively and are starting to combine for goals now. A very good sign.
The defense is finding their way. Simon Larson has helped steady the back line. Still a few wobbles now and then, but they are coming together. Two shut outs in the past 4 games after only 1 in the first five. It takes time for a young team to gel. It feels like maybe, we are at that point. Throw in Alex Sulzer who is starting to find his place and becoming more dangerous and thin=gs look promising for the Abes in the back half.Two conference games next week and then another big weekend of non-conference play. Can the Abes grab their first non-conference win and get onto a roll. Wauwatosa East and Madison Memorial (I think) will be two big tests for Memorial.
Lets take a look at a few highlights from the win over Rice Lake
Memorial controlled the play early and were able to get plenty of shots on goal. Nothing too dangerous but constant pressure. About 15 minutes into the game, the ball found Jacob Peloquin who found Luke Rosenberger loose in the middle. A nice aggressive take on from Like pushed him into the box where he executed a nice stop and shot maneuver. Side net. Classy finish.
As the half continued, Memorial continued their dominance. Later in the half during a nice period of possession, Ryder Woodworth got loose down the left side and was able to get into the box where he laid it off for Brenner. Normally he finds a shot but it just wasn’t there. He calmly dropped a nice ball to Nunez who drilled a hard low liner past the goal keeper. Getting goals from midfield during combination play is a nice development for this team. Trusting each other!
Big Rivers Conference Update coming tomorrow. Check back in for standing at the midway point of the conference.
So…a tough weekend for Memorial if you are just focusing on results. Memorial has a strong history of playing the best teams in the state during their non-conference schedule. That trend continued this past weekend as Memorial hosted two traditional powerhouse programs, Oregon and Middleton from the Madison area. Coach Kite has used these non-conference games to prepare his squads for the rigors of the playoffs and to gauge their progress and development. No knock on the Big Rivers….but….you just do not get enough quality games to fully prepare you to go into the playoffs fully prepared. Players need to know how to play in a difficult game against a highly skilled opponent. Games against these teams provide that opportunity for Memorial.
Memorial v. Oregon
As a reminder, Oregon is a quality team, ranked in the Top 10 in Division 2 and a regular in the State Tournament at that level. They were State Runner Up in 2017 against Whitefish Bay. Yes, the same Whitefish Bay team that was ranked in the Top 5 in the USA last year. They return a ton of starters and have 15 Seniors on the team, all 11 starters and the first 4 off the bench are seniors. A very experienced team. They are fast, skilled and possess quality all over the field. I think their quality kind of surprised Memorial a bit. You just do not see a team like this in our league. Preble and Hudson were good, but Oregon looked different. Their attack was dynamic. Their speed and quickness were scary. 5 minutes in to the game and it is 2-0 and maybe could be 3-0. How would Memorial respond. Would they fold up. Would they fight back. Down 2 in 5 minutes is a new experience for all these players. Glad to say they settled down a bit and found their game. If you would have told me after the first 5 minutes the final score would be 2-0, I would not have believed it. No way. After the start I saw, 5-0 or 6-0 was more likely. Credit the Abes for finding their game and settling down to play solid soccer the rest of the way. Clearly, Oregon was on a different level and was in control much of the game. But also clear that Memorial has skill and talent all over the pitch as well. A great opportunity for the team to grow and develop and start believing in themselves and the team. It was a lesson the team needed….be ready from the whistle…be ready for a battle from the first kick. Do not be surprised if Oregon is battling for a State Championship in another month. I have been looking for the score of Hudson v. Oregon, but no luck yet. I will update once I can locate it.
Memorial v. Middleton
I arrived for the last 25 minutes of this contest. A few chats with folks on the sidelines and it was clear that Memorial was playing a solid game. Possession looked good, the defense was holding up well and the team was playing with confidence. Conditions were tough….hot and humid. Quick note: I heard that Middleton beat Hudson on Friday night 4-0. Still trying to confirm, but a sign of the talent of the squad. Memorial got on the board first on a nice bit of combination play between Rosenberger and Brenner. Brenner with a quality finish for the 1-0 lead. That lead held up for most of the game. As we have discussed a few times on the blog, there have been a few games where just 2-3 minutes of play was the difference. This team is not good enough (yet) to absorb any spells of play below par. Late in the contest with a few substitutions forcing different combinations on the field, Middleton got loose on the right-wing and beat the defense with some passing for an attack down the right side of the 18. Inside defense was not able to cover and a dangerous shot from near the corner of the 6 box snuck into the goal on the near post. Tyler Hanson had been solid all day and I saw a few excellent saves and sweeper keeper moves to keep Middleton out of the goal. Unfortunate on the goal, a great effort, but just snuck into the goal on a good shot. From there things got a bit crazy. The last five minutes had plenty of drama and both teams threatened to get the game winning goal. A penalty in the box and a PK gave Memorial a shot to win. A late shot from Zumwalt almost delivered a win. Middleton’s long free kick at the buzzer almost found the net. Whew. A lot of action in the last few minutes. Maybe 1-1 was deserved, but maybe Memorial let one slip away. Another game where we could say they are building some character. Late loss to Hudson was tough. Late tie to Middleton was tough. A few 2-3 minute spells against Preble and Oregon that were the difference. Building Character. It sucks for the players and fans, but in the long run, you hope it provides the experience and growth that will lead to big wins later in the season. Go Abes. Trust the process!
I know Brenner is hurting a bit, but let me say, without him this team is nowhere near their current position. He has been very dynamic and solid all year. For all the fans out there, let me share the following; Ronaldo and Messi, arguable the two best players in thew world, have missed a ton of PK’s. I think 20+ for Ronaldo. A few examples below. It happens. It is not easy. Throw in what felt like a 5 minute delay while the ref talked to the Middelton coach on the sidelines….did he do that intentionally to ice our player….and it even makes the shot more difficult.
Here was a great chance to get the win. Thought Jacob was going to get clear to rip a shot but it did not develop, was blocked (not on the video), but it falls to Zumwalt. Ugh. He has been close all year. It’s coming.
Then, after a free kick that came a bit short, Middelton had a breakout counter attack. An aggressive tackle near midfield shut it down but led to a free kick from distance. It was a bit nervy, the ball ping ponging around and heading toward goal a few times. Hanson with a punch and then the ball looping over the top of the goal. Whew!
Tough weekend, but if the boys stick to the process, a weekend that will pay dividends later in the season.
So I decided to catch the first 20 minutes of the Memorial v Menomonie soccer game on Thursday night before I headed off to U13 ECU practice. I figured I would be able to get 2-3 goals in that stretch. It would make for a nice part of the blog post the next day. You can always count on 8-10 goals against Menomonie….so probably there would be 2-3 in the first 20 minutes.
The teams took the field…..and then everything changed….it was like someone sprinkled fairy dust onto Menomonie….that is not the same Menomonie team I have watched for the past 9 years.
This team looked fast. I see you Adam Wilson! This team looked athletic. This team looked skilled. The back line was moving the ball quickly. Combination passes were getting them out of trouble and keeping possession. The shape looked good. The communication was good. I must admit. IT WAS WEIRD! But in a good way. I think it is awesome to see and very cool for their program. The coaches are obviously making a difference. They are building a program. Their facilities are much better than Memorials. Great stadium and turf field. It takes time, and it does not sound like they are getting a lot of wins, but it looks to me they are putting in a ton ff positive performances. A recent game against Hudson ended 4-1. The game last night against Memorial ended 3-0. It was only 1-0 at the half and if not for a great save by GK Hanson, it is a 1-1 game. I am going to keep a closer eye on Menomonie….I feel a few wins are in their future. Man….what an improvement over the past few years. From regular 10-0 thumpings and games called early to a real battle and quality play and players all over the field. Congrats to you Menomonie…don’t get discouraged…from my perspective, you are right on track and it is happening! A win here or there, a little confidence, and you never know.
Game Notes
-Great to see Sulzer and Larson on the pitch. It will take a few games to get the feel of the team….but it will make a difference late in the season. I was hoping to see Rosenberger out wide and not sure where his 2 goals came from, but I think this move frees him up a bit to be more aggressive offensively.
-Memorial out shot Menomonie 12-3 on the night.
-Rosenberger is heating up. 4 goals in the past three games. If Brenner and Rosenberger can get hot together, then watch out. We need them both scoring and getting dangerous looks.
-Ryder Woodworth with his first goal….although my fan in the stands thought maybe it was an own goal?? Take it Ryan.
Big Weekend
Oregon (Friday at 5) and Middleton (Saturday at 12:00) come to town tonight and this weekend. Two great programs that will present a huge challenge to Memorial. a great mid-season check on where we are. Are we building to a big finish or just building for next year.
Oregon is ranked 8th in Division 2 and has been a regular in the State Tournament the past few years. A strong program.
Middleton is having an off-year, but have played some very strong opponents. They will be a tough test for Memorial.
My impression of what the Woodworth goal might have looked like….from reports I heard. Memorial in Green. Menomonie in Yellow! Enjoy! Just sayin….it could have happened this way!!
