It is always an interesting debate in sports when an underdog, younger team takes on a more experienced veteran team and plays really solid.  The younger team hangs tough and doesn’t give up a score and has a few chances of their own to score.  Everyone is feeling pretty good, the kids are competing, they are stepping up, they are rising to the challenge……and then….boom….a last minute goal….maybe even  bit of a cheap goal….finds its way into the net.  The young upstarts lose.  Bummer.  Ouch.  Hurts a bit.

But how do we interpret the loss.

-Is it a big time gut punch that takes the team back a bit

-Is it a sign of growth for a young team that proves to everyone they can compete at the highest level

-Is it just another game and no big deal and just move on to the next one.

Maybe it’s all of these.  I do know it was a heck of a game played at a very high level between the two best teams in the Big Rivers Conference.  After Memorials first game of the year against Green Bay Preble I blogged about those darn three minutes where the game got away from the Abes.  A 1-1 game slipped away in just 3 minutes when the defense lost just a small amount of focus.  I could write the same story about last nights game.  In this case, it was only 2 minutes from an exciting 0-0 game when the ball crossed the line.  I did not see the goal live, had to leave at halftime, but I did see the highlights on the evening News.  I must say, for a hard-fought, physical game with plenty of suspense,….it was a really wimpy goal.  Hudson fans I am sure thought the goal was awesome.  As a player or coach, you take it and get out-of-town with the win.  But really, it was kind of a scuffer, no real power, did not make great contact….it just kind of whimpered across the goal line, the ball likely feeling embarrassed it was the game winning goal scored in the 88th minute of a really well played game.  Ugh.

Game Observations

-Hudson is pretty good.  They are solid all over the field.  Big, fast, physical and very skilled.  Their midfield is impressive, especially Kolton Prater.  Maybe, no probably, the best player I have seen so far in the Big Rivers.  He really puts you under pressure.  He creates a lot of chances.  He was really good on his free kicks tonight.  I think the free kicks were Hudson’s best opportunities all night from my view of the first half and hearing about the second half. Their defense is physical and aggressive.  Their forwards are fast and skilled.  No time to rest or take a break against these guys.  If you relax for one moment….they make you pay…and that’s exactly what happened late.  One small moment and bam….wimpy goal.

-The first half Hudson looked the better team, controlled possession a bit better, 60-65% I am guessing, but never really put the defense into bother.  The free kicks were a different story.  Their set plays were problematic for the Abes.  Well organized with dangerous balls into the box and headers flying.

-It was really physical.  Dean was swallowing his whistle early and letting them play.  This game was not for the faint of heart.  Bumping, grabbing, tripping, stepping hard, slide tackles, a little frustration tossed in, a few coaches yelling for calls.  It had a bit of everything. Memorial v Hudson is the premier game in the league and you could just feel it in the air.  Both teams were amped up and ready.  Great battles all over the field!

-Memorial relied mainly on the counter in the first half, but maybe 20-25 minutes into the game started to find their way a bit.  Possession improved and they had some dangerous play from width.  A few great opportunities on crosses as well as a few dangerous layoffs in the box.  The young defense managed the pressure and it was 0-0 at the half.

-From reading the L-T Sports recap (link below) from Spencer Flaten, it sure sounds like Memorial came out with a much improved performance in the second half.  Possession and dangerous play improved.  After trailing in shots 9-3 in the first half, Memorial out shot Hudson 5-4 in the second half.  One problem…no shots on goal based on the Box Score showing zero saves for Hudson.  Memorial must find a way to test the Hudson GK next time out.  Set plays were again a factor as Hudson forced two good saves from Hanson to keep the game knotted at 0-0.

http://www.leadertelegram.com/Sports/2018/09/12/div-class-libPageBodyLinebreak-Photo-finish-div.html

-And then those darn two minutes.

-And a shot just high from Brenner….and a header on the last play from Zumwalt that was just not meant to be on this night.

-Felt like a tie was the fair result.  Not the kiss your brother or sister (yuck) kind of a tie…but a well deserved, kiss the cutest girl or boy in school kind of tie. But as they say, sports is not fair and sometimes your effort is not rewarded and sometimes the ball just somehow finds a way across the goal in the 88th minute, and Hudson scores a wimpy goal and the Abes take a tough loss.

But hey, I am an optimist, I am going for the team is growing and getting better angle on the game.  And guess what…next time we play them we have two secret weapons.  That might just be the difference to get us over the top and square the season series.

Lets look at a few highlights from the game.

We have discussed the Hudson set plays/free kicks.  They were the best part of Hudson’s offense.  Here are a couple of examples. There were more of these in the second half I hear.  Way to go Tyler….I am amazed at his cat-like reflexes and ability to get airborne and horizontal so fast.  Wow!

Here are a few of our first half chances.  An example of the physical play as well.

Carlos…great spot, great chance, just slightly mishits the header . You can tell he wanted it. I think a header goal is close for him.

Looking forward to getting a few players out there for the Abes to see how the rotations change.  I hope we see Rosenberger out wide in space to take advantage of his skills.  Sulzer in midfield can be dangerous and also shut down attacks.  Larson on the back line might be just what they need to maintain 90 minutes of focus on defense.  I am excited after watching them play Hudson.  We get one more shot at them.  I predicted a 1 goal win for Hudson, so I had that right, but now I am thinking we flip that in the second game.  Go Abes!  Trust the Process!

Big Rivers Conference play is well under way with two weeks completed.  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 after the second week of play.

Week of September 4th Games:

River Falls @ Memorial    Memorial 9-0

Hudson @ Menomonie     Hudson 4-1

North @ Rice Lake    Rice Lake 2-0

Memorial @ North    Memorial 3-1

Chippewa Falls @ River Falls    River Falls 4-1

Rice Lake @ Hudson    Hudson 6-0

Big Rivers Conference Standings

W-T-L

Hudson                           3-0-0  9 Points

Memorial                        3-0-0  9 Points

Rice Lake                       3-0-1  9 Points

River Falls                      2-0-2  6 Points

North                              1-0-3  3 Points

Chippewa Falls             0-0-3  0 Points

Menomonie                   0-0-3  0 Points

Quick Take Aways:

-Hudson put 6 goals on Rice Lake which is impressive.  I called this the game of the week as we needed to know if Rice Lake would be a contender.  Tough for them to step up against a very good Hudson team.  Hudson is claiming the early favorite position with this statement win.

-Memorial putting 9 goals on River Falls was also impressive.  The young Abes are starting to find their way.  A HUGE conference game against Hudson Tuesday.  Memorial still short-handed and missing a few key players, but I am excited to see how they deal with their first big conference game of the year.  They showed well in their first test against Green Bay Preble so that was encouraging.

-Thought North would be in contention for the top half of the conference.  Curious how they play this week.  They have two games that should be W’s. It is time for them to step up and win the games they should win.

Games for the Week of September 10th

Tuesday Games: Rice Lake @ Menomonie, Hudson @ Eau Claire Memorial, Eau Claire North @ Chippewa Falls

Thursday Games: River Falls @ Eau Claire North, Menomonie @ Eau Claire Memorial, Chippewa Falls @ Hudson

Game of the Week: Hudson @ Memorial

This is the first big clash with Conference Title implications.  These are likely the best two teams in the conference and it should be a good one.  Hudson with more experience and a dynamic offensive team against the young and improving Old Abes.  Can Memorial overcome missing a few key players.  Can their young defense hold up against the pressure from Hudson.  Will Hudson get revenge for Memorial dominating the conference recently.  I am predicting 3-2….and just hope it is Memorial with the 3.

Sorry for the delay on the updates….sometimes work gets in the way….sometimes coaching U13 Girls takes priority….I know, I know, what am I thinking.  I should not make you wait for updates, but hoping you can give me a break and will enjoy a few of the videos from the River Falls game.

Let’s catch up on a busy few days.

Memorial vs. North

A great article in the Leader telegram on the game.  Link below.

http://www.leadertelegram.com/Sports/2018/09/07/div-class-libPageBodyLinebreak-Turnaround-div.html

I was not able to attend the game but did get updates from a few in attendance I trust.  North came ready and played fast and aggressive the entire first half.  It is always interesting in rivalry games, but in reality, Memorial has owned the series against North.  Not sure North’s last win, but I do know it has been awhile.  Likely 10 years or so.  North had some nice teams about that time and I think took down Memorial.  The article showed the last goal scored by North in the series was back in 2013.  I am pretty sure I was at that game.  Austin was playing defense against Dan Kron when the goal was scored, but at least he did not give up the goal!  On Thursday, that streak was broken when All Conference performer Logan Podolak scored to give North a 1-0 lead.  North is not off to a great start this year, but they always seems to play really well against Memorial.  The lead was deserved.  North was playing well and had the Abes on their heels.  They out shot Memorial 5-3 in the first half and maybe left a few goals on the field due to some good work by GK Hanson.  A late equalizer on a Brenner PK seemed to settle down the Abes.  PK’s are always tricky.  Sounds like this one was deserved and Memorial really needed that goal.  1-0 at half and North is energized.  1-1 at half and North thinks maybe we let this one get away.

Memorial was a different team in the second half for sure.  Possession, passing, energy, shots….all favored Memorial.  They were able to get 12 shots in the second half but were not able to find a break through goal for the first 30 minutes.  North was finding a way to survive.  As usual, the game got chippy between the two and a few more PK’s could have been called.  Always physical when these two get together.  The pressure finally flipped the game when a cross was not collected by the North GK and fell right at the feet of Brenner who tapped it in for the 2-1 lead.  With North pressing for a goal to tie, Memorial struck late with Verduzco getting his first goal this season for a 3-1 final score.

Quick Thoughts:

-Young teams need to learn to play hard regardless of the opponent.  It’s a hard lesson to learn.  The coaches pushed the right buttons at half and they gain a win while getting to coach up the team on coming ready to play from the start.

Memorial vs. River Falls

What the heck….where did that come from.  Memorial wins 9-0.  After an early season with score lines of 1-3, 3-1, 3-1….not too many people would have predicted a 9-0 thumping by Memorial over River Falls.  9 Goals.  Playing on back to back nights due to an early week rain out, the Abes were ready to go from the opening kick.  Playing fast and aggressive and pressing hard early, Memorial maybe found some confidence on Friday.  Four goals in the first half and five in the second was a welcome relief to the two 3-1 wins so far this year.

I was able to attend the first 30 minutes but saw plenty of goals and a young team starting to find their rhythm.  Players are understanding their roles, understanding where teammates will be and learning how to break down defenses a bit.  Let’s take a look at two of the goals.

Mitch Brenner continues his early season hot streak.  He is filling in very nicely for Jack Longville this season.  7 goals in 4 games and he has scored in every game this season.  This might be his best one so far.  As we discussed, the ball just finds his feet.  He seems to always be in the right spots.  When Peloquin gets fouled in a dangerous spot, you kind of felt like this one might go in.  Lets take a look.

The GK gives it a good try, the shot is just placed too precisely. Great goal by Brenner!

The biggest development for me in this game is that Luke Rosenberger is starting to score goals.  I think it is critical the team finds a second scorer to take some pressure off Brenner.  I thought Rosenberger was that player, but slow start to his season in the score sheet with just one goal in the first three games.  Two goals tonight is a great sign.  With Luke getting more offensive, this team becomes much more dangerous.  His first goal was a rocket shot that the GK thought he had…but the short hop and power surprised him a bit.  Rosenberger’s second goal is pure class.  A great surging run by Will Hartman, a well placed cross as well and then Luke does his thing….a really nice volley to the corner of the net.  Well done sir!

Quick Take Aways

-Rotations are Making the Team Better.  I love that the coaches are increasing their bench and getting more players onto the field.  I also think it helps their play.  Fresh bodies are helping their press.  Fresh wingers are creating chances.  Players are stepping up and playing well when they get time on the field.  Good Stuff.

-Rosenberger Warming Up.  I think he is really important to their success this year.  Two goals today really increases his confidence.

-Young Guns Getting Some Goals.  Jared Nunez tallied two goals and Justin Smith tallied one to get their scoring started this year.  Both goals from wingers is a good sign.  Peloquin also opened his scoring account for the season.  He works so hard and good to see him rewarded with a goal.

–Two PK’s Today.  Does not happen often, but two goals from PK’s.  A good sign they are putting teams under pressure in the box.  A PK goal against North as well to get them even before the half.

Hudson on Deck

So….a really big game is looming on Tuesday.  Hudson comes to town in the first real battle for the Big Rivers Conference title.  Hudson is 3-0 so far this season with wins over North (7-1), Menomonie (4-1) and Rice Lake (6-0).  Beating North by 6 and then shutting out Rice Lake 6-0 are two pretty impressive wins.  Memorial will be coming off their best win of the season against River Falls.  Feels like Hudson should be and will be favored.  Can Memorial build on their momentum from Friday and keep it going.  Will Hudson’s experience and dynamic offense cause the young defense of Memorial problems.  Should be a great game.  I am predicting a final score of 3-2….and just hope that somehow the Abes find a way to score 3.  Go Abes!

So, I don’t know why, but it turns out it is hard to get updates on the Big Rivers Conference.  Some teams report scores, some don’t.  The Big Rivers Conference website does not show Memorial in the conference standings page? Scores are not updated frequently so I have learned to snoop around the internet for updates.  But hey, I figured you would want to know so I put in a little extra time….all for you!  I knew you would appreciate it!

Here is a quick update on the Big Rivers Conference after the first week of play.

Week of August 27th Games:

Hudson @ EC North.  Hudson wins 7-1

Menomonie @River Falls.  River Falls wins 4-0

Rice Lake @ Chippewa Falls.  Rice Lake wins 3-1.

Rice Lake @ River Falls.  Rice Lake wins 2-1.

Menomonie @ EC North.  North wins 5-0

Memorial @ Chippewa Falls.  Memorial wins 3-1.

Big Rivers Conference Standings

Rice Lake                        2-0-0

Hudson                           1-0-0

Memorial                        1-0-0

North                              1-1-0

River Falls                      1-1-0

Chippewa Falls             0-2-0

Menomonie                   0-2-0

Quick Take Aways:

-Hudson put 7 goals on North is impressive.  Albrecht typically has a stout defense.  It felt like Hudson was an early conference favorite based on returning players and this game would certainly support that theory.

-Surprise Team to Watch Out For: Rice Lake.  Rice Lake has quietly put together a nice tun the past 2-4 years and is building a nice program up north.  They have a few appearances at State and are well coached with solid players.  Don’t sleep in Rice Lake.

-Thought North would be in contention for the top half of the conference.  Curious how they play this week.  They have teams on both ends of the Conference, how will they fare against teams they need to beat to improve their standing.  Can you throw out the Hudson game?

-There does not appear to be a dominant team in conference this year.  Hudson has lost several non-conference games already.  Memorial lost to GB Preble (no shame there). Only Rice Lake is currently undefeated overall.  I think the conference may be more wide open this year.  Can someone shake up the Memorial-Hudson grip on the conference championship.  The upcoming week will give us some clues.

Games for the Week of September 3rd:

Tuesday Games: River Falls @ Memorial,    Hudson @ Menomonie,   North @ Rice Lake

Thursday Games: Memorial @ North,   Chippewa Falls @ River Falls,   Rice Lake @ Hudson

An interesting week.  We will find out if Rice Lake is the real deal this week. Wins against North and a Win or Tie at Hudson would shake up the conference hierarchy a bit.  Can North step up and get a win against one of the top teams in the conference this year?  Can Memorial’s young squad win both their games to set up an early season clash with Hudson the following week.  This is a big week for Memorial to develop some consistency and build some positive momentum for the season.

Game of the Week: Rice Lake @ Hudson

Memorial kicked off their Big Rivers season with a solid win at Chippewa Falls last night.  Nothing too fancy, not a dominating performance, still trying to figure things out….but a win is a win, especially for a young team finding their way.

So, let me get this out of the way quickly.  I am not a big fan of the field at Chippewa.  Feels a bit too big.  Too wide, too long, too bouncy.  Especially too bouncy!  I always found it hard to evaluate a team after playing at Chippewa.  It’s hard to find a rhythm.  Hard to get the passing game going.  The turf is not your friend.  So, a bit hard to evaluate the Abes last night.  Plus, doesn’t it strike you that the Chippewa players could use just a little bit more discipline on the field and sidelines.  I will leave it at that and move on.

I also have to share that I missed most of the first half.  I was able to get to the game around the 30 minute mark of the first half.  It was already 1-0 when I arrived and as I was sitting down to get ready….bam….2-0.  So sorry about that, but I do have some highlights to share. Let’s talk about the flow of the game.  Memorial looked solid in all phases for most of the night.  The ball was moving around the pitch.  The defense was shutting down most attacks up high, the midfield was controlling possession and the wingers and forwards were getting plenty of opportunities but……it did just feel a bit sloppy at times.  See above for Chippewa Field issues!!  Bounce…Bounce…Bounce!!  I also would share that for a young team, a big challenge is to bring it at all times, regardless of the opponent, play at your very highest level.  But that’s hard, even for experienced high school teams.  Maybe Memorial played down to their opponents level a bit.  Certainly, this was nowhere near the challenge they faced against Green Bay Preble last week.  Only Game #2, and still without some senior leadership on the field, so no surprise really.  They were able to manage thru these issues and secure the win.

Key Take Aways from the Game

Mitch Brenner seems ready for a break out season.  After watching Jack Longville for two years, we all wondered who, and if, someone could fill those shoes and take the scoring pressure for the team.  Seems like Brenner is up for the task early.  He scores a double and increases his scoring tally to 3 with 1 assist.  He has been involved in all 4 Memorial goals so far this year.  The ball seems to find him in dangerous spots.  On corner kicks and free kicks he is looking very dangerous.  The ball seems to end up on his head or feet no matter where the play starts out.  Some players just have a sense for scoring.

Rosenberger opens his scoring account for the year.  I have been waiting for this.  I think Luke is really important to the team’s success this year.  He seemed more involved offensively tonight.  Really important he scores and shares the burden with Brenner.  Right now he is playing a bit deeper as the team needs his presence in midfield keeping possession.  I think he pushes forward later in the year and starts to take on a key scoring role.

Defense still a work in progress.  Be patient, it will come, but a few wobbles still on the back line.  I made the mistake of checking an e-mail to start the second half and when I looked up, 17 seconds into the half, Chippewa had a one on one with Hanson and a nice slotted ball was in the net, the lead cut to one quickly.  There is no time to get comfortable for the back line.  Stay focused and ready.  One ball over the top, one big bouncing long ball, and trouble is lurking.  See above for Chippewa Field issues!!  Bounce…Bounce…Bounce!!  I counted 3-4 times big bouncing balls made it into the 18 and things could have been a bit different if not for sweeper keeper Hanson.  That will get cleaned up soon.

Memorial Responds.  At 2-1, 17 seconds into the half, their could have been a little panic, but I didn’t see any.  Memorial just continued to play their possession game and stick to the game plan.  They were rewarded with a goal in the second half to re-establish their 2 goal lead and kill off the game with only a few more threats.  Experience gained.

A busy bench tonight.  I am pretty sure all 20 players who suited up tonight, saw some game action.  That was pretty cool to see.  And they all played well and contributed.  At one point, there were 11 players on the field and none of them were starters from last years team and none of them played significant minutes last year.  I have seen that a few times when Memorial was winning 8-0 or 9-0 late in a game, but not sure I have ever seen that when it was 3-1 with 10 minutes to go in the conference opening game.  Kudos to the players for performing well and to the coaching staff for trusting their bench and their players.  I have seen a kinder and gentler bench this year.  No surprise with a young team.  A lot of encouragement coming from the sidelines.  Keeping the players focused and applauding their effort.  A great move in my opinion and I enjoyed watching it last night.

Game Highlights

Brenner makes it 2-0 with a nice shot off a corner kick.  As I said, the ball seems to find his feet.  If you are wondering about the video quality, I can’t take any credit.  I am certainly still a rookie at taking video, but I got this from someone even more of a rookie than me…and that’s hard!  I really appreciate the video though, since I missed this goal while not paying attention in the first half.  I will expect much improved performance in the future though….increase that resolution mister!!

Rosenberger opens his scoring account with an early entry into  the Goal of the Year.  Four players touch the ball.  Last weeks videos showed all the offensive players pushing forward across the field.  It was great to see.  I thought it would certainly create some goal scoring opportunities on the back side….so here you go.  As predicted.  Really nice sharing of the ball and trust among the players.  This will continue to improve and it should lead to many more goals.  Nice one touch finish Luke!

And look at the quality of that video…amazing….especially when compared to the previous clip.  Go Abes.  Trust the process!

Quick Update for those interested.  Green Bay Preble defeated Hudson today 3-0.  1-0 Game for most of the game.  pretty even possession game and Hudson had some nice moments where they put Preble under pressure.  Similar to yesterday, Preble scored two goals quickly late in the game.  Goals in the 86th and 88th made it 3-0.  Looks like Green Bay Preble is good!  I have a feeling the Hudson game is going to be very competitive!

Another season of Memorial soccer is off and running as they squared off against one of the state’s best programs in Green Bay Preble on Friday afternoon.  Their last game was an incredible match up, won late by Memorial in the Sectional Finals last year.  Remember the Martinez goal in the final minutes!   Quite the way to start the season for a young team trying to find their way after losing a strong senior class last year.   Right into the fire as they say.  It was a bit strange for me….watching a Memorial game without one of my kids in the program or on the field playing.  Just a fan.  No nerves, that was cool.  No anxiety…that was cool as well.  Just enjoying a great game and being a soccer fan.

First observations.

-Memorial is quick, athletic, great feet, great skills, tactically strong, well coached……but a bit smaller than I am used to seeing on the pitch.  Gone are many of the big, physical players from last year.  No more Beasts in the midfield or back line.  Memorial could really physically dominant teams last year, this year they will need to use their skills and knowledge of the game.

-Memorial is young.  Four underclassmen started the Preble game, including dynamic Freshman Jared Nunez.  Toss in four junior starters and that leaves just three Senior starters currently.  That will change in a few weeks as a few Seniors should get back into the line up.  But regardless, it is a team that will need to learn to play together and develop some chemistry.  Preble had only two sophomores on their varsity squad.  Memorial started 3 Sophomores and a Freshman.  You could feel the difference in experience.  Preble was loud and talkative all game.  Lots of communication and chatter on the pitch.  Memorial will get there, time and patience.

-Are those new uniforms.  Very sharp….love the new look!

-Style of play.  Apologize for the comparisons, but it’s my first time seeing them play.  Not as much possession as I am used to for Memorial.  A lot of balls over the top or thru balls into space.  Not as much build up in the final third.  Not as many overlapping, deep runs by the outside backs on either side as last year.  We got used to Jolley and Free bombing down the sidelines and getting into the final third and whipping in crosses for Longville to knock home.   Lots more touches in the Midfield and out wide with Wingers.  Great to see the ball being shared up top.  All the wingers and forwards are dynamic.  When the ball moves up field, everyone is moving forward as a unit.  Opportunities to have combination play and find players free on the backside are there.  No more reliance on a single forward.  A few more games and the offensive players will start finding each other.  More goals are coming.  I love how they are sharing the ball and trusting each other.

Game Recap

So, soccer is sometimes difficult when it comes to results. Sometimes you dominate a team but win 1-0.  A bit of a deceiving score.  Sometimes you get killed but manage to make some saves and earn a tie.  A bit of a deceiving score.  And sometimes it is a very even game, and just a few plays make the difference.  This game felt pretty even to me for big chunks of the game.  Preble’s physicality and Memorial’s youth showed up in the first 30 minutes of the second half and Preble did exert their will on the Abes during that period of play.  But the Abes were still finding a way to keep the Hornets out of their net.  For 87 minutes this was a really close well fought match.  But there are those other 3 minutes…..just three I know, but they were a fateful three in the result.  Let’s end the drama….Green bay Preble 3  Memorial 1.  But that is a bit of a deceiving score!

It was a very competitive game of soccer.  The first half saw both teams compete hard and show strong play on both the offensive and defensive side of the field.  I would say the possession was pretty even.  Both sides had good spells and found good moments.  Memorial came out flying and had a strong first 20 minutes.  They were the better team in that stretch.  The ball was moving quickly, they were finding space on the wings.  They were winning back possession quickly after a turnover.  The defensive line was stepping hard and winning balls.  When pressed deep, they were up to the task to chase down a run and clear out balls from the 18.  GK Hanson, a likely All Conference player this year, is a nice safety blanket in the back.  He made a few very nice saves in that spell.  A leaping, one hand poke over the top on a hard drive was especially impressive.  Memorials possession paid off about 15 minutes into the game.  After a string of nice passes and working the ball into space down the left side, Memorial struck first.  An attempt to clear a ball was intercepted in Midfield by Woodworth who played it forward to Nunez, who played it forward to Mitch Brenner.  His first touch and trap was really the key here.  A hot ball in from Nunez, but controlled nicely.  A turn into space, a touch and a nice left foot finish in the side net.  1-0 Abes.  Notice two more players in the box.  I really like how they are attacking the net.

Preble responded after the goal and the game settled into a tight match.  No real advantage.  Preble did put some pressure on the Memorial defense but Hanson was up to the task.  He played sweeper keeper on a few balls and made that one nice save.  Unfortunately, later in the half, Preble evened up the score.  A ball out near midfield came free to their captain, Lindsley, who found the top corner from distance.  Not much Hanson could do on this one.  A shot from distance that just finds the one spot it can get past the keeper.  A pretty fortunate score from there, the kid may not have a nicer shot all season….but well done, a nice shot.  1-1 at the half.

I am pretty sure the Preble coach told his players at the half to take advantage of the one key difference in the game.  Preble’s size and strength.  It was noticeable in the first 30 minutes of the second half.  Preble was much more physical.  Bodies were flying around.  Tackles and pressure were increased a bit.  I think maybe the physical play took a toll.  Preble had a significant edge in possession during this period.  But hey, Memorial was finding a way to keep the game tied.  and then there were those 3 minutes we talked about.  Just three, I know, but it was the difference in the game.  A nice spell of possession lead to a ball down the left-wing, a cross came flying into he box, and the Preble forward out-dueled the Memorial defender in the air for a nice header goal.  2-1.  Quickly, Preble was back on the attack.  A little wobble on the back line and midfield allowed a ball to be played into space in the 18 and a quick turn and shot and it’s 3-1.  Just three minutes, I know, but man, bummer dude, those three minutes hurt a bit.

Memorial responds.  Maybe that settled them down?  Maybe down two they said, what the heck, let’s just play a little loose and free.  Not sure, but the final 15-20 minutes looked much better.  Memorial had their best spell of the game in this period. They really did not put much pressure on Preble until the two goals.  Then they had a bunch of chances.

So back to the deceiving score idea.  Zumwalt with a great chance.  And notice Jacob in the box ready for a pass or tap in goal.  Sometimes the woodwork is your friend and sometimes the woodwork is your enemy.  Today…it was our enemy.  A pass to Jacob and a shot had the GK beat.  A nice powerful shot, headed for the goal and ….ping….off the post.  Notice all the players in the box available for a pass.  Then later, a nice free kick from Junker and Brenner rises above everyone for a header.  The GK is out of position and beat, the ball is headed for the net….ping….off the cross-bar.  But there is Jacob with the volley finish and the ball is headed into the net when….stab….the GK makes a one-handed lunging save.  No goal.   What?  How did we not score there!!  Come on man!

So back to the deceiving score idea.  Pretty easy to envision both of those plays turning into goals,  finding the net and the game ending in a 3-3 tie.  but hey, that’s soccer.  The team is young, and they are working hard.  I love their energy.  I love all the forward players in the box ready to pounce.  I love how they are sharing the ball.  I loved that they came back from 3-1 to put a scare into Preble.  I love the possibilities of how good they can be with a few more games and a little more experience.  I love they have two seniors who will likely make a big difference in the physicality of the team coming back soon.

No shame going down to Preble and the quality of their squad.  Just three minutes…..just two pings off the woodwork….and this is a different article.  Go Abes.  Trust the process!

So, a few weeks have passed and now it is time to reflect.  Memorial wrapped up their season in the Sectional Finals with a difficult 4-2 loss to Bay Port.  I could have written this blog last year…same result, Memorial loses to Bay Port in the Sectional Finals, just a different score 3-2 in OT.  Felt like this one was headed to OT until the cruel fates of soccer prevailed.  A shot to take the lead just misses and near full-time, Bay Port somehow finds the game winner on a shot that typically does not find the net.  In a game of inches, Bay Port found a way against a very good and determined Memorial team.  Bummer dude.  That sucks!   Tough way to go out…back to back years to Bay Port.  Does it help that Bay Port went on to win the State Title.  Not sure, but maybe it was just destiny…Bay Port lost in the State finals last year and was on a revenge tour to get back and win.  That on top of having some of the best talent in the state.  Tough combination.

So..a successful season by an awesome group of players or …..a disappointment to go out in the same round against the same team…YES.  I think you probably are feeling both, but mainly you just wanted to see this group make it to State.  They really deserved that.  Just dumb luck to have to face the State Champion in the Sectional Finals.  I felt this team had all the keys to a deep run.  Solid GK, tough defense, possession minded and aggressive midfield, dynamic forwards, experience….just needed a little luck as every team does to get to state.  Bummer dude…did I say that already?  So I am taking the great season approach!

So let’s take a little stroll down memory lane and recap the season for you.

Season Stats

Record: 18-3-1

Shut Outs: 9

Goals Scored: 119  (5.4 per game)

Goals Allowed: 22 (1 per game)

Conference Record: 14-0

Conference, Regional Champ

Player Stats- Goals Scored

Abigail Stow 37

Lauren Carmody 20

Josie Barstad 14

Jacque Beaudrie 9

Ali Bowe 8

Serena Sorenson 7

Ava Kison 5

Molly Graaskamp 5

Olivia Pasch 3

Madison Etzel 2

Morgan Priem, Sarah Lindsay, Rebekah Gerry, Jenna Hinden, Claire Steines 1 each.

A few thoughts:

Good News/Bad News.  34% of your goals are returning…but you lost the Conference Player of the year.

Stow was Hot late.  As the season progressed, Stow started to take over.  She scored 37, but 25 of those were in the last 9 games.  She scored the only 2 goals in the final game.

Post Season Honors

With a team this successful, you are going to have some players recognized for the individual performances.

Abigail Stow: Conference Player of the Year, 1st Team All Conference, 1st Team All State

Ali Bowe: 1st Team All Conference, 2nd Team All State.

Rebekah Gerry, Serena Sorenson, Ava Kison: 1st Team All Conference

Lauren Carmody, Leah Hujik: 2nd Team All conference

Jordan Barstad: Honorable Mention Big Rivers.  I think maybe Cameron Carmody as well, but not 100% sure I have that right, My apologies.  She certainly deserves it!

State Tournament Results

Division 1.  Bay Port over Sheboygan North 3-1 for State Title.  Interesting note: Bay Port’s only loss of the season was to Sheboygan North 1-0.  What a way to end your season, getting revenge on your only loss of the year and winning state after losing in the finals the previous year.  Story book stuff.  It’s a pretty cool story…except they beat us.  Bummer Dude!

Division 2.  Brookfield Central state champs 2-0 over Oregon.  Quite a dynasty they have in Brookfield. River Falls made the state semi-finals  Very Cool!

Division 3.  Notre Dame 1-0 over Catholic Memorial. Yes, the very same Notre Dame we lost 2-1 in a great game. Rice Lake made the state semi-finals. Very Cool!

Division 4.  Kenosha St. Joseph 2-1 over Cedar Grove-Belgium.  Regis made the state semi-finals.  Very Cool!

In case you were not aware, Memorial has a nice history in the state soccer tournament.  9 trips to State along with 15 BRC titles, and I think.  Impressive.

DeRusha Resigns

Hard to have a season recap without mentioning there is a change of leadership coming to Memorial Old Abes girls soccer program.  Scott DeRusha stepped down as Head Coach after a very successful 5 year run at the helm.  An impressive 99-16-3 record, 5 BRC Titles in 5 years and 1 trip to State.  Sure wish he had hit the century mark, would have meant a trip to state.  Bummer Dude!  It is a very attractive program for a head coach candidate.  Great program, successful history, rich tradition, dominant Conference record, a winning program with a chance to get to State every year.  Sounds pretty good.  Anxious to hear the replacement.  Can they keep their run going….will they reload and not rebuild….will they change systems…great questions.  I do know they have some serious talent to build around.  AND some serious talent coming into the program as Freshman next year.  All the best to Coach DeRusha, quite a run and quite a program he built.  Thank You!  The future is bright!

A few Highlights to Remember the Season

Started the season on an 13 game unbeaten streak.  Impressive.

Ranked as high as #2 in the State Coaches Poll in mid season.  The highest raniking I can remeber for the program.

Winning Goal vs North

Maybe the Best Game of the Year.  A classic game of two really good teams.  Physical play, great athletes all over the field.  Down 1-0 late when Abigail Stowe did this.  This really sums up her Conference Player of the Year Award.  Wow!  And you just knew it would happen and DC Everest still couldn’t stop it.

Congrats to the 7 seniors on a great season and for your contributions to the program.  This will be a tough group to replace but the program is deep and the next wave is coming! Returning starters Hujik (GK), Ava Kison, Abby Jochimson, Gretchen Hanson (Defenders), Jacque Beaudrie (winger), Cameron Carmody (Midfield) and Lauren Carmody (Forward) make a solid foundation to build from.  A deep bench with players ready to fill the gaps from the Seniors.  A JV program full of potential.  Whose next!  Go Abes!

World Cup post Coming Soon….I promise!

Well that wasn’t supposed to happen quite like that.  We were prepared for a tight battle, a nail biter, right down to the wire..maybe even a PK shoot out.  We looked at the schedule and saw Stevens Point had played DC Everest to a tie…twice…and figured this one would be close.  It wasn’t.

Memorial played one of their better games of the season and totally dominated Stevens Point 7-1 on Thursday night to secure a berth in the Sectional Finals today in Wausua.  This one was over early as Memorial came out on the front foot and was active from the start.  Possession was solid, the ball moved quickly, players were energized and the Abes put SPASH under pressure right away.  Some games you just know things will go your way…the first goal was a good indication it was going to be Memorials night.  A good run of possession and passing found Barstad with the ball on the left-wing and turning back onto her right for a shot.  Stow was lurking in the box near the 6 in a dangerous spot. I don’t think this was the plan, but they don’t ask how, they just ask how many in sports.  1-0 Abes at the 8 minute mark.

Stow bagged her first of the night on a nice play out wide.  She received the ball near midfield and just did what Stow does.  Played a ball into space, used her speed and athleticism to create some separation and calmly found the side net.  She makes it look so easy, but it is anything but…a quality finish after an aggressive move into the box.  Stow is on a nice roll and seems to be making everything right now.  She ended up with a hat trick tonight and is finding her stride at just the right part of the season.

Stow got loose again on the right-wing and again made a nice aggressive run into the box.  The defender makes a last-ditch effort to tackle the ball…not sure she made contact with the ball…but did make contact with Stow.  A little surprised no penalty call on this one.  As Stow is going down, she somehow finds a way to deliver a little pass.  Bowe is there and drives a low shot to the left of the keeper who makes  a nice save….unfortunately…right into the path of the johnny-on-the-spot Beaudrie for the tap in goal.  Is that a phrase kids know, not sure, but sure seems the right way to describe Beaudrie.  She is always lurking on the back post and cleans up a lot of deflections for goals.

A goal by Barstad…a rocket from near the 18 finished off the first half scoring, 4-0 Abes.  Game over.  For good measure, The Abes struck first in the second half to squash any comeback thoughts by SPASH, another calm side net finish from Stow.  A goal on a set play corner kick got SPASH on the board, 5-1, but a nice direct kick from Beaudrie and an upper 90 strike from Stow finished this one off, 7-1.

A few thoughts on this one.

Playoff Soccer Script.  Score early…check.  Score multiple first half goals…check. Score early in the second half to avoid any crazy comeback…check.   Gain confidence and rest players for the next game…check.  No injuries….check.  Stay hot and keep momentum building for the next game…check.  The Abes checked all the boxes in this one.

Next Round: Bay Port for the right to go to State. Bay Port…ugh.  Memories of last years tough 3-2 OT loss start swirling around when you think about the game today.  This one really should be a close game and a nail biter.

The Good News, It’s a Revenge Game.  Players are ready.  The seniors and other players from last years team have the OT loss fresh in their memories.  They are ready. They are jacked up.  They are focused.  They really really want to get past Bay Port and onto State.  As well, Bay Port is ranked #1 in the State so that would add a little cherry on top to beat them today.

The Bad New, It’s a Revenge Game.  Are they too jacked up and ready.  Will they just be too fired up today.  We just need them to play their game, stay calm…possess…find shots…move the ball and defend.  Stow will get her chances.  The defense needs to be ready for a battle.  Hujik needs to come up with a big game.  Memorial is on a nice roll and peaking at the right time.  It is a wonder what practice will do!  More bad news….Bay Port is really good!  They lost in the State Finals last year and are looking to get back.  It should be a good one.

Go Abes!!

I’m back.  Sorry for the delay in posts, but sometimes life gets in the way of blogging.  Graduations, Work, Busy Weekends all conspired to steal my time the past few weeks…but I am back and excited for the big game tonight.  Full time blogger some day….just not today…bummer.

Eau Claire Memorial vs. Stevens Point in the Sectional Semi-Finals

Lets take a quick look at how we got here.  Memorial cruised by #8 Superior 16-0 in Round 1 of the playoffs.  A week of practice had the Abes sharp and ready and Superior really had no chance in this one.  The Abes scored early and often and had piled up 11 goals by halftime.  Not really sure why they toss out the 10 goal rule in the playoffs, but it certainly makes for some awkward games.  Not fun really for either team, but that’s the rule, so you play it out.  Here are a few highlights from Superior.

Barstad has a dangerous left foot.  Getting her back out on the wing and getting her into some space could be really important for the Abes to advance deeper into the playoffs.  Here is a rocket into the corner of the net. Well placed and well struck.  A nice goal!

Memorials most dangerous player is Stow.  She certainly has a lot of help this year, but sometimes big games just need a big player.  She will be a big part of Memorial’s plans the rest of the way.  A little sample of what she can do in the open field.  Impressive run and calm finish.

Next up was Hudson in the Regional Finals.  Earlier this year, Memorial played one of the best games in defeating Hudson 4-1 on the road and then followed that up with a solid 3-1 win at home.  Hudson has some skilled players but lacks some big game experience.  Always tough to beat a team three times in a season, but the Abes came into the game fresh and really controlled things from the very beginning.It was pretty clear from the beginning of the game that Hudson had made the decision to play their GK on a high line to shut down thru balls to their strikers.  Memorial has scored a ton of goals finding Stow or Carmody in space.  It was a gamble.  It paid off early as the GK was able to clean things up on a few dangerous balls.  I was next to Coach Yengo the first half and we both commented that it was just a matter of time.  Memorial would figure out the GK’s position and take advantage.  If a team plays a high GK, you just have to make them pay.  GK’s have to be very confident they can get to the ball if they come out high.  Shots from distance and chips over the top can be devastating if you play your GK high and you just need players who can execute and take advantage ….Memorial has those players.

After missing on some early opportunities, Stow found herself in the middle of the field near the 18 after a nice pass from the wing.  The GK comes out again, but Stow is ready.

Easy chip over the top for the 1-0 lead….well, maybe not so easy, but Stow certainly makes it look easy!  Memorial continues to press and get shots and a few minutes later they strike again.  Another ball near the 18 and the GK comes out again on Carmody.  She is able to get a deflection on the shot, but it dribbles past her and right into the path of a surging Stow…easy tap in goal for a 2-0 lead.  Hudson never really threatens and Memorial GK Hujik shuts down any shots and things stay pretty comfortable the rest of the way.  Very similar to the first half, Memorial strikes again in the second on another strike from near the 18.  Stow presses Hudson and Carmody cleans things up for the 3-0 lead and the final tally.  Nice left by the way!!

Sectional Semi-Finals

A few notes.

-It is hard to compare teams who have not played, but let’s give it a shot.  Steven Point played DC Everest three times.  Two of those games were ties, 3-3 and 0-0 in the Regional finals decided 5-4 in a PK shoot Out. Not sure the third, but thinking Stevens Point won that game.  Memorial tied DC Everest 1-1 early in the season.  Based on all that, this should be a very competitive game.

-Ali Bowe is back and playing well.  She takes this team up a notch in quality of play and is a key cog in the attack.  She missed some games against non-conference opponents, so it will be great to see her out there tonight against SPASH. she is a difference maker.

-Expect Stevens Point to put a lot of focus onto Stow…double teams, triple teams, physical play, bumping, pulling, tugging, etc.  I think Stow still gets her chances, she is just that good, but we may need some of the other weapons to step up tonight…and there are plenty.  Barstad, Beaudrie, Bowe, Sorenson, L. Carmody and others will get shots tonight.

-A competitive Sectional; Bay Port, the #1 team in the state faces off against Appleton West in a 1-2 seed game in the other half of the bracket. Bay Port with only 1 loss this year, 1-0 to Sheboygan North.  As a reminder, Memorial only has 2 losses, both by 1 goal on what I would call some unfortunate goals and playing without some injured players.  As Coach Calipari (University of Kentucky reference) says often….I like my team!!

Go Abes!