UPDATE: Memorial vs. Green Bay Preble game time has been moved to 5:00 on Saturday @ Chippewa Falls High School.
So that was interesting! I think I started the last post that way and it still holds true after tonight’s game. The last line from the post on Wednesday looking forward to the game tonight.
No surprise if it is another 1 goal game tomorrow. A battle.
Well. I got that one right. Memorial hung tough for a well-earned 2-1 win over Hudson. You just had a feeling it would go this way. Game 1 vs. Hudson we cruised to win by 4. Game 2 vs Hudson was a tougher contest and the Abes had to fight hard and find some late goals to earn a 2 goal win. Game 3 we discussed would be hard. Hudson was getting better. Their young players had matured. The teams know each other well. It is hard to beat a team three times. So no surprise at all it ended up a one goal win and full of drama late.
So I guess no surprise as well that I start the blog with another picture from the intros. Please give me a little leeway here as I am on a countdown. If everything goes perfectly, I will get to see Cooper play three more high school soccer games. That is the plan anyway…but each night is also a possibility it is his last game. For all the Senior parents and especially if this is your youngest child, that adds a little different perspective to the proceedings. Trying to cherish every moment….so you get a picture of Coop to start things off. Thanks for letting me have that moment. Appreciate it! Plus, check out Brotzman’s hair. Interesting!
First Half
So things started great. Memorial was into the flow early and was playing really well. The ball was moving, possession looked good, was in Memorial’s favor and the shots were coming at a decent clip. Hudson seemed to have a plan to sit a bit deeper and defend and were very mindful of Longville anytime he touched the ball. Double teams were common. The plan was obvious enough that most of the Hudson parents on the sidelines knew it as well. They were providing some extra coaching to the Hudson defenders from the sidelines to make sure Jack was being defended. It will be interesting to see the stats. I think Memorial will dominate on shots on goal. The problem was none of the shots were very dangerous. Several headers that were just off-line. A few shots from the 18 that lacked enough power to be dangerous. A bunch of corners that just did not develop. You sensed a goal coming the entire half, but unfortunately, it just did not appear. The best chance was late when Orser played a nice ball wide to Longville who got into the 18 and near the six before he ripped a hard shot across the box. A nice kick save by the Hudson GK kept it scoreless at the half. Memorial GK Hanson had two nice saves off set plays and did a nice job as sweeper keeper, cleaning up 2-3 balls over the top and in space to prevent any shots on goal. So now the nerves kick in for me and most of the Memorial sidelines. When you are in control, have most of the shots, are favored, playing at home and it is still 0-0, you start to wonder.
2nd Half
So now the clock watching starts. The goal must be coming soon, it just feels like we are the better team. The second half played out a lot like the first. Memorial just a little better on possession, a few more dangerous shots started to develop. As well, Hudson decide to get more aggressive in the offensive half. 20 minutes into the second half and Hudson started to really find their game. Hudson played well. They were aggressive. Their wing players more threatening than I remember. Their striker was dangerous and a handful all night. Their defenders were strong and cleaned up everything. They played more balls wide, they played more balls into their forward, who is very good by the way, and he started to press the Memorial back 4 and put them into some uncomfortable spots. Then the Referee decided it was time to call some fouls. I count 4-5 fouls in the second half in some very dangerous positions, 20-30 yards out. Hudson was good on their free kicks all night. Excellent deliveries and good runs caused some tension in the stands. Their best chance to score comes off a free kick and a deflection that appears headed right into goal until cat quick GK Hanson pounces and keeps it 0-0. Memorial as well started to get closer to that first goal.
I thought this one was going to be the one. Jack Longville gets a ball in space and does what he does…a little wiggle here…a little waggle there….a quick touch to his right and …BAM! Power Shot and headed into goal. Even with the Hudson GK in a good spot, this one almost surprises him. It was hit with such power it almost blows right off him into the goal. He hits it so hard, it literally knocks the GK off his feet!. Great shot, Great Save, 0-0.
It felt like that was a sign of things to come. On nights like these it sometimes comes down to just one moment of magic. A special player making a special play. A little foreshadowing…sorry. Jack continued to look for his shot and Memorial continued to find opportunities for him. Jack gets loose in the 18 again later in the half and pulls it just high. Another sign, the goal was getting closer.
So then this happened. The game is now into the 80th minute and time is running out. Are we destined for OT. Are we destined for a PK shootout. Memorial kept working to find the goal and finally it arrived. A great sequence so please hang on…it is a bit longer than normal. Peloquin does an amazing job holding the ball and looking for an opportunity. He then drops it deep to Orser (not in the video) who swings it over to Joe Free (not in the video) who delivers an amazing cross into a very dangerous spot. I stayed on the middle of the 18 and kept my attention on Longville in the middle. Enjoy.
So a few things to point out.
What a great run by Longville. His vision to anticipate the cross and sprint into position is pretty rare. His ability to flick the header back corner of the net is also pretty incredible. He is a very talented player. The game needed a special moment of magic and Longville delivered. Now I know some of you are thinking…what’s with the taking the shirt off. Well, if you were a high school kid and had just scored one of the biggest goals of the season, maybe one of the biggest goals in your life to secure a 1-0 win and get your team to within one game of the State tournament….what would you do! I got to give the kid a waiver on that one. The yellow card sucks and he had to come off the field. But just look at the players emotion after that goal. Pure, unbridled excitement. They are going nuts. It was a big moment. Not sure Coach Kite will give him a pass….but hey I am a fan! 1-0.
So game over right. Goal in the 83rd minute. Hudson deflated. Memorial jacked up. You can hear a fan say late in the video, ” the game is not over white”. Time to refocus and finish this off. So the game restarts and Hudson starts to press numbers forward to try and get the goal. A few minutes pass no issue. Then a free kick from a dangerous spot and Hanson comes up with a save. Tick tock tick tock. 86 minutes. Hudson continues to press and a ball gets played from midfield into their left winger, a very speedy and skilled player. He works the ball deep, makes a little move, gets some space and fires a cross into the middle near the PK spot. A great run by their right winger is tracking the ball. The Memorial defender is tracking the runner. The ball, the Hudson player and the Memorial player all converge near the six. Somehow, someway, the ball deflects off the Hudson player into the back corner of the net. Not sure if it was a shot, went off a shin or a knee, and he was well guarded, but I do know where it end up. Back of the net. 87th minute 1-1. The game ends regulation tied at 1. Overtime.
First Overtime
Memorial is in control. A slight wind at their back and they are controlling the game and pressing for the goal. But 10 minutes is quick, hard to find a rhythm. A few shots but nothing dangerous. Hudson plays a ball just past midfield and the striker gets in a little battle for possession with a Memorial defender. A yellow card comes out. A red card comes out (second yellow) and Memorial is down a player. You could have heard a pin drop. Emotions were low, fans were frustrated and concerned. All along I have felt there were really only two things standing between Memorial and the Sectional Finals…an injury or a Red Card. Oh man. Memorial dropped Lyons back into Defense and managed the last 2 minutes of OT period one. End of OT 1, 0-0.
Second Overtime
Memorial inserts Logan Junker into the back line and removes Peloquin from up top as they now need to manage playing a man down. The overtime starts and it is clear Memorial has dropped a little deeper and is working to keep everything in front of them. I make a comment to Junkers dad standing next to me, with Longville in the game, you really just need to find one opportunity for Longville, get him the ball in space and he is capable of making something happen. He is capable of a special moment. About 4 minutes into the OT, a ball is played deeper into the Hudson half. The ball is cleared out wide, but the Hudson right-winger is coming back to play a ball under pressure from Owen Jolley. In an attempt to maintain possession, he plays a ball back toward his midfield. Jack Longville steps in front of the pass. Is this the moment. He takes an aggressive run with the ball. Could this be it. He slips past a defender, dribbles toward the 18, gets a friendly bounce off another defenders leg and the ball seems to sit up in a perfect spot. He is fighting thru two defenders. The GK starts to come out. Is this it. Longville sees it and seizes it, a right footed blast that blows past the GK. Maybe the GK got a slight touch, but this one was destined for the net. Special player, special play. 2-1 Memorial. 6 minutes left. It is a blurr from there. Hudson is pressing numbers forward. Memorial is fighting to defend. Remember, Memorial is a man down. Long balls over the top, balls kicked out-of-bounds, balls kicked deep into the Hudson half…6 minutes….7 minutes, Hudson pressing…Memorial defending….8 minutes….9 minutes….Hanson save….free kick Memorial, tick tock…Game Over!
So, funny story. I am right in front of the game winning goal. I have my phone ready and am videotaping it all. And I have it..it is awesome..I am going to get a perfect video of it. Well, in my excitement to actually watch it, my phone starts to drift upwards. I see the pass and steal by Longville, but then…nothing but the top of his head and a lot of sky. Big Bummer. Got caught up in the moment. What a geek. What a fan! No video. Ugh! So after the game, I head to dinner with friends. Need a bathroom break and as I am heading back to my table, there it is. The evening news on NBC is playing. Sports Scene 13. I quickly get my phone out and record the highlights from the game. There is is…Longville’s goal. Maybe it was karma, maybe just a lucky break, but regardless, I do get to show you the game winning goal. And the other two as well. Here you go.
Quick Notes
Green Bay Preble beats Appleton North 2-0. So it’s #1 Memorial vs. #1 Green Bay Preble on Saturday at Chippewa Falls Field at 3:00. Bring your winter coat. It’s the game everyone wanted. A rematch of a 3-3 game earlier this year played at Preble. I missed that game and feel blessed to get to catch this one. It should be a doozy. Feel good about playing close to home on a field we are familiar with. 1 game from State. Feel good we have not played our best yest in the playoffs but still have found a way to survive and advance!
A revenge game for me. 2013 Memorial’s team, with Cooper’s brother Austin lost to Green Bay Preble in the Sectional Final. It was a 1-0 game and the game winner was on a deflected free kick that ricocheted into the corner of the net. A very hard loss. That was a special team and if not for an injury to Scotty Nicolai, had a chance to go to and win State. Time for Memorial to advance. Go Abes. It has been a good ride, let’s keep it going.