To win Conference titles it is critical you win the big games and you win on the road.  Memorial did both tonight in a hard-fought and methodical win at Chippewa.  It was a classic win and for a coach, checking off all the boxes.

Get an early lead. Check.  Longville scores on a nice assist from Rosenberger in 16th minute.

Control the Midfield and limit counter attacks. Check.  Orser and Lyons kept everything in front of them and shut down attacks.

Wear down the opponent and extend the lead. Check. A Jolley goal on a corner and Lonville direct kick extended the lead to 3-0 in the second half.

Get in some reserves, rest your starters. Check.  Memorial was able to get 5-6 starters some rest in the last part of the game.  Big with a busy weekend ahead.

Keep a clean sheet and build some momentum. Check.  A 3-0 win sets up Memorial for a great start to the second half of the conference season.

Extend your lead in conference.  Check.  A 1.5 lead over Hudson and 2 game lead over Rice Lake pending results.

I was a bit concerned when I saw this game on the schedule a few weeks back.  CF was surging and a road game is always tough in the BRC.  The Cardinals were in striking range and a win tonight would keep things close in the conference race.  Although a bit dicey in the first half, the Abes really had this one under control.  The biggest moments for CF and the nerviest for Memorial, was when GK Hanson ventured out into the box on deep balls over the top.  I counted at least three times he turned into sweeper keeper, but unfortunately, on each occasion, he just could not locate the ball.  On one occasion, the ball was headed into net, but cleared out by a defender (Larson I think).  No real danger, but nervy for sure.  The others were not as close, but a funny bounce here or there…all good as no damage was done.  Tyler played it much safer in the second half and had no real danger.  He cleaned up balls in the box and long thru balls and made a few easy saves.  Nice and tidy in the second half for the GK.

Here are some highlights.

I have been keeping an eye on Cooper Lyons scoring  a header this year.  He has been close on at least 5 occasions and was again tonight. I know one is coming. He is due.  Gets up for this one! Not sure where he gets those hops.  Not from me!

So…hang in there with me.  I had this goal but had a CF fan walk right in front of me. Ugh!  So here is what is looked like.  Great pass and finish by Longville.  Imagine Rosenberger making the pass and you’ve got it.  You can do it.

I’ve got to give props to the Chippewa GK.  Man, what a save.  I would say he is playing at an all conference level.  I love our GK Hanson and maybe the biggest difference between the two is 6 inches.  CF keeper is tall..like 6’2″ or more I think.  Hanson makes up for his size with dynamic skills, quick feet and cat-like reflexes, but boy if he was 6’2″ that would be nice. A tough call on who is best, both are awesome.

A big second goal from Jolley right after the big save.  If Chippewa had picked up some momentum, Jolley crushed it with this goal.  Huge goal.  Game over.

Jack found the net for a second time with this high quality direct kick.  Up and over the wall and a bender into the left corner of the net.  Wow.  Pretty special kick for sure.

Last, I must give a shout out to Jacob Peloquin.  He works so hard and deserves a video.  He makes a bunch of great moves on this run, thinks about shooting…I thought he should have ripped it, but makes one more move.  Keep working kid, it will come!

Top 3 Takeaways for the Game

Another Clean Sheet.  Defense wins championships. Well done back four; Free, Larson, Burlingame and Jolley.

No glory for Midfield, but they really controlled the game.  Orser and Lyons played strong.  Lyons was dominant in the first half managing attacks, winning balls, putting in tackles and keeping everything in front of him. Orser surges forward and connects the defense to the offense.  Best passer on the team.

Consistent Effort Works.  A full 90 minutes of effort.  Nothing flashy, just hard-nosed soccer.  Nice win!

Another big weekend of soccer in Green Bay.  Go Abes!

What a weekend.  Two games , two completely different results and for the fans, quite an emotional ride.  Imagine what it was like for the team and coaches.  First, I need to share a quick apology.  I have had a busy few days.  Watching two games of soccer and then traveling down to Chicago for work…yes, I have a job.  A full day and then driving home late Sunday.  I just could not find time to get to my computer to update the blog.  That is the guilty part.  Plus, as my little project is still in week three, still working to get the word out and increase the base of followers.  Plus a little nervous, maybe no one was looking for updates.  I was pleased when I got home Sunday, there were views all weekend.  That’s cool!  Sorry the update is late but I hope you still enjoy.  Don’t stop checking, I promise to keep blogging.  Hang in there with me, it’s a process!!

First Loss of the Season Friday.  Bummer.

Oregon handed the Abes loss #1 of the season in the first game of the Madison weekend.  A tough game.  Soccer is a cruel game sometimes.  Check this out.  Memorial had more possession in the first half, controlled the game for long periods, had more shots on goal, at one time 8-4, and generally played pretty well.  So how were we down 1-0 at half and then lose 3-0.  Soccer can be cruel.  Oregon’s first goal, by all accounts was offsides.  The fans knew it, the players knew it, I think even Oregon knew it, everyone except the AR.  Who by the way trailed the play by 10 yards.  I did not have a good view, but it sure felt like offsides. I give Oregon some credit, it was a nice counter attack and a nice shot, just outside GK Hanson’s reach.  The next two were GK deflections that turned into goals and were unfortunate and very late in the game.  Maybe a culmination of a late Thursday away game, lack of sleep, a three-hour bus ride and a tired team.  I know, I know, no excuses.  Regardless, it was a bummer. Felt like a tie game based on the play, not a 3-0 loss.  Probably the best Oregon played all year based on how pumped they were after the win. For us, emotions were low in the stands and the field.  I was bummed a bit I have to admit.  Didn’t expect to go undefeated, and Memorial has lost plenty of games in Milwaukee and Madison over the years, but this one just left a bad taste.  Players probably felt they did not play their best. Did not have the emotion needed for a 90 minute game against a tough opponent.  Relax..breathe..relax. On to Saturday.  Spoiler Alert…it gets better.

Memorials Biggest Win of the Season

What a difference a day makes. Memorial came out energized.  Controlled the game early.  Dictated the play and pace of the game.  Showed excellent energy and effort.  It looked really good early.  This is the Memorial team we expected and love to watch!  It just felt different from Friday.  A purpose to the play, a confidence in their approach, a bit of swagger and looseness to their game.  They were in attack mode from the whistle.  A few small tweaks, pushing Haig out wide and pushing Longville up higher on the pitch proved positive.  Middleton was on their heals and only a great save kept the game scoreless.

Now imagine that same play, a great run down the left side by Jolley, a sizzling cross in the box and a quality directed header from Longville, but this time it goes into the net.  I am certain I had that goal on video.  How did I erase that one, Ugh.  But, trust me, it was pretty close to the one above …with slightly better results.  1-0 Abes!  In reality, it could have been 2-0 or 3-0 in the first.  Peloquin had 2 great chances, Haig had a great opportunity , and Jack 1-2 as well.  Not sure how it was just 1-0.  Middleton, ranked #3 in the state, did respond with some quality play, forced a few good saves from Hanson, hit a post and improved their play as the half went deeper.  Ah…then there was controversy.  A pass near the 18 was ruled handball and a direct kick.  Just a bad call.  Hit Burlingame’s chest.  The entire team and coaching staff and fan base were pretty shocked at the call. Middleton took advantage..as good teams do, and buried the direct kick up and over the wall and into the upper corner on the left side of the net. 1-1.  The second half was quality soccer on both sides.  Multiple chances to score and more drama.  Was the game destined for a tie. Not a bad result for Memorial, but it just felt from my perspective on this day, we were a goal better.

Then this happened.

Could you tell I was excited.  Almost jumped out of my seat to celebrate, forgot I was taping and …well…you see the result. Did it cross the line? Did the GK stop it?  It took a few minutes to decide between the Center Ref and AR.  NO GOAL.  I replayed my video a few times and unfortunately, had to agree, it did not cross the line entirely.  Maybe a little…but not enough. Bummer.  So close. So 1-1 then, I guess.  Not so fast sports fans.  Memorial continued to apply pressure and played several nice balls into the box.  Around the 86th minute, Longville got loose in the left side of the box, slowed his dribble, cut hard right….you guessed it….was tripped.  Here is the PK.

Do you think that was an important goal.  The celebration is the clue.  It was a huge goal, a huge win and erased the bad mojo from the Rice Lake tie and Oregon loss.  Mini Slump averted.  Confidence intact.

Top 3 Takeaways from the Weekend

Playing away games in Milwaukee and Madison is critical.  We just cant get the competition and intensity of these games in the Big Rivers.  Not to say we don’t play good teams, it is just different.  The team needs it to be challenged, to develop, to suffer a bit, to grow and become the best team they can be.

Middleton win was a Big Response after a tough loss. No question the team was in a tricky spot.  Did not play terrible against Oregon, but it just felt flat.  A second loss in a row, a 3 game winless streak, all leading up to the biggest conference game of the season on Thursday against Chippewa would not have been good. Crisis averted, confidence restored.  I can tell you it felt really good to get that win against a very good team.  It’s a process for the team as well and a giant step forward.

Three Games in Three Days is tough.  These kids are resilient.  Plus I think their legs are sore.  They gutted out a great win.  Lots of ice bags on the trip home, but with a smile on their faces and a confidence they will need to take on a surging CF team Thursday.

Should be fun!

Area Roundup post soon..I promise.

Rice Lake earned a 0-0 tie against Memorial tonight on the road in Rice Lake.  It was just one of those nights when things did not go Memorial’s way, and Rice Lake stepped up their game at the right time.  You knew things were a little off when you arrived at the stadium and saw two key Memorial starters in street clothes.  But you still expected Memorial would find a way to get the win.  Plenty of talent still and a deep bench.  No worries right.

Memorial started off strong, has significant possession and played on Rice Lake’s side much of the first half.  There were plenty of shots, but many from distance.  A few chances in the box, but players were not able to pull the trigger.  Rice Lake’s game plan focused on playing long balls into their forward and hope for a quick strike.  Whenever they won possession, it was quickly played long.  GK Seth K. was their best weapon, with long goal kicks forcing Memorials back 4 deep and into some 1 v 1 battles to gain possession and clear away trouble.

The first half ended 0-0.  Still, you figured Memorial would work out the kinks and find a goal or two.  The second half produced more excitement.  Rice Lake had maybe the best two chances in the second half.  An early long ball and awkward bounce put their forward into space and a 1v1 on Memorial GK Hanson, who came up with a clutch save near the 18 to clear away the danger.  Later in the half, on a set play, Hanson had a leaping finger tip punch save of an arching header that looked destined for the top of the goal.  Again in the second half, Memorial dominated possession.  They were pressing for the winning goal and had multiple good chances. Two or three times inside the 18 and near the six where it looked like shots would find the net.  They ended up blocked, saved, just wide and on a few occasions, the shot never materialized.  Several good crosses looked dangerous but the volleys just would not find the net.  The controversy of the night occurred late in the game as well, when Jacob Peloquin went down hard in the box while the defender never made a play on the ball.  On this night, the call was not made and a goal kick resulted.  On a different night, maybe that call gets made.  It was just that kind of night.

As a sign of the night, just as Memorial was pressing for a late goal and had multiple corners, mother nature intervened.  Some lightning in the distance forced the Referee to stop the game and based on the game time , end the game with about 4 minutes to go.  Memorial felt a little robbed as the game was called as they were setting up for a corner and had a lot of momentum to get a late goal.

Top 3 Takeaways from the Game

Missing starters just throws off the team a bit.  Rotations change, the style of play changes a bit, and it takes some time to adjust.  Like missing your starting QB, or missing your starting PG in basketball.  It just impacts you a bit.  Maybe players were pressing a bit.  This was the first time this year when Memorial had not been up by multiple goals in the second half.

GK’s on both Teams determined the outcome.  It was a good battle and the GK’s both came up big. Rice Lake’s GKKursynski faced more shots but managed the game well.  Right place, right time and solid saves.  Memorial’s Hanson had fewer saves, but boy did he make them count.

Every Team faces Adversity. During a season it is bound to happen.  A tough night, shots not hitting the net, not getting the calls, etc.  A game you should win ends in a tie and it feels like a loss.  You just have to move on, regroup, get back to work and find your mojo.  Teams face injuries, tough losses and bad calls.  Championship teams find a way to have these moments motivate them and many times it is these moments that bring a team together to reach new heights.

Memorial hits 10 in win over Menomonie

Two programs in different places met on the pitch tonight as Memorial squared off against Menomonie.  Menomonie is working to build their program and is in the development stages.  After years of struggling to win or be competitive, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.  They have been competitive this year and have a tie against North to their credit.  Unfortunately, tonight they faced one of the better programs in Wisconsin and currently rated in the Top 5 in the latest polls.  A mismatch.

Some bright spots for Menomonie; a young GK who made some nice saves.  Some younger talent that will get better.  An investment by the community in a nice new complex including a new track and soccer pitch show the community is behind the team, and that is important!

For Memorial it was just a matter of taking care of business.  They played solid soccer, scored early….55 seconds into the game on a nice shot by Rosenberger..and scored often,  4 in the first and 6 in the second.  Just a good day at the office for the experienced, Senior laden Old Abes.  The goal…just don’t get sloppy or start any bad habits.  Play your game and get your goals and move on to Rice Lake on Thursday.  7 Old Abes hit the score book tonight including 4 by Longville , goals by Rosenberger, Orser, Brenner, Hayes and first time scores for Peloquin and Larson.

On to some highlights.  With 10 goals I had to pick out one of the best of the night.  A hustle goal by Longville.  A second half cross and volley by Brenner might have been better, but by that time I forgot to keep filming…too many goals.  I know it’s a little too dark…you have come to expect more from me…i agree.  I am working on how to improve the video.  Promise to get better.

Top 3 Takeaways from the Game

Defense Wins Championships and Memorial is Good.

So we are 5 games into conference and the Abes have given up 1 goal.  4 clean sheets out of 5 is pretty impressive.  No goals in three games.  The back line of Jolley, Burlingame, Larson and Free are starting to gel nicely.  They work well together, cover for each other and are fortunate to have solid GK behind them for the occasional shot.

Longville on a Tear.

I don’t know if they keep records for consecutive hat tricks (3 goals in a game), but by my count that is 3 in a row for Longville.  I have been around the program for the past 8 years and the only other prolific scorer I remember with this type of run was Zach Brown.  He carried the Abes to the State tournament with a string of amazing games and clutch scoring.  They score differently, but both score in bunches and also when it is needed by the team.

Young Guns Get Some Extra Time

With the game in hand, Coach Kite was able to get some extended playing time for some of his young guns.  Memorial starts 8 Seniors so getting the kids ready to contribute and also a taste of Varsity soccer will go a long way to making next years team successful.  Peloguin saw some extended minutes and looks to inherit a primary scoring role next year.  Young defenders Junker and Christopherson are getting more comfortable with Junker looking solid out wide.  Hayes looks to take on a playmaking role in midfield.  All good signs for the future of the program.

Rice Lake on Thursday and then a huge game this weekend against Middleton, ranked #2 in the state.  We will learn a lot about the Abes this weekend.  They have all the tools and elements to make a deep run this year and will get a serious test against Middleton.  Should be fun!  Can’t wait!

Did you ever pick up a book and feel like you have read it already?  It’s a good book, so you keep reading, but it feels very familiar.  Good cast of characters, good plot (the good guys win) and a satisfying ending.  That might sum up the Hudson game and the Memorial season so far.  What was billed as a showdown in the BRC between last years champs and this years leading contender, turned out to be a dominating performance for the Old Abes.  Very similar to several of their wins this year as they move to 6-0. They should now be considered strong favorites in the BRC.

Memorial came out of the gate strong and controlled the first 15 minutes getting rewarded on a goal from Jack Longville on a set play corner kick (recurring theme for the night).  Hudson seemed energized by the goal and picked up their game, passing and penetrating into the final third and had a nice 15 minute stretch, but were unable to put one away.  A few nice saves by Hanson keep things calm.  Memorial picked it up late in the half and scored a nice goal on a deep run by Joe Free (nice little wiggle to break free-no pun intended) and a solid cross into the box to find Longville for a sweet header goal.  2-0 Abes.  The outstanding first half continued with a few more header chances to score (Cooper-keep after it-you will get one soon) and another corner kick delivering goal #3, you guessed it, a header by Longville on a nice delivery by Owen Jolley.

Things calmed down in the second half and Memorial continued to keep Hudson chances and shots limited and eventually were able to find the net one more time on a set play.  Will Orser with a nice low drive on a ball coming out of the box for a 4-0 lead and another solid performance.  Maybe their most complete game of the season on the road against a tough opponent.  Memorial is getting some attention as well in the state as they popped up as #4 in the state rankings in this weeks poll.

Here are some highlights.  Still refining my video skills-may need to zoom in-but hey-at least you get some highlights.

Top 3 Take Aways.  Its late so I will make it quick.

Memorial has been strong all year.

Great Defense, excellent GK, solid Midfield and a dynamic Forward.  And now they are scoring on Set Plays.  Watch Out.  Very Dangerous team.

Owen Jolley (left back) and now Joe Free (right back) are adding a new dimension from the Defense.

Owen is marauding forward, providing assists and providing excellent deliveries from set plays.  Joe is gaining confidence pushing forward and had a great cross for an assist tonight.

Jack Longville is dangerous in the box.

Three goals all inside the six.  He should never take corner kicks or direct kicks again!

My first late night post.  Hope you enjoy it…time for bed!!

Memorial continued it’s early season success with a professional 4-0 effort against North.  You kind of expected Memorial to control the game.  You had a idea it would be a easy victory and MHS would have the bulk of possession and at some point find the net…on more than a few occasions.  What you didn’t expect was an early…and I mean early….North opportunity to grab a 1-0 lead and maybe put some pressure on the experienced Abes.  Alas for North, it was not meant to be.  A shaky early ball and a nervous moment was cleaned up by an excellent 1v1 stop by Tyler Hanson and a clearance off the line by defender Larson.  Man is Hanson cat quick and his reaction to the shot was really impressive.  Eventually the quality showed thru and two really nice first half goals by Longville and Rosenberger settled things down for the Abes.  A second half PK (I think the 4th in 5 games) and a cheeky volley off a long ball over the top made it 4-0 and a hat trick for Longville.

Highlights.  My first attempt so I apologize in advance..but hey..I am an old dude and trying to figure it out.  Might need to ask my millennial kids to help me out.  Ouch!  Here are the four goals…not in order…working on that!

Top 3 Take Aways from the Game

Memorial Just Wears You down.

It wasn’t flashy.  It was just solid execution in all phases of the game.  Hanson made the big early save but I only remember one more shot on goal.  After the early shaky start the defense controlled everything.  They manged a few balls North sent over the top and cleared away most balls in the box with composure and decisive stepping to win balls before they became an issue.  Midfield controls the game and eventually, they find a break thru and feed balls into Longville.  Orser and Lyons just boss the midfield impressively.  Longville just works and works up top and knows he will get his chances.  New this year is improved wing play to add a scoring threat and take some pressure off Longville.

Memorial is BIG

It was obvious that the Abes were much bigger and more physical than North. So far this season, I have not seen an opponent as big and strong as MHS.  I guess I should add fast and skilled as well.  In D and in Midfield they tend to boss other teams.  North has some nice players, quick feet and full of energy, but they just did not have the beef to hang with Memorial on D and in the Midfield. Offensively they are not as big, but Haig and Longville both bring an energy and physicality that is impressive.

Not Many Shots on Goal

I only remember two good chances for North.  Might have been a few more on goal, but nothing dangerous.  I have seen all 5 games and it strikes me that Memorial has not given up many goals (3) and even more impressive is the lack of shots on goal against the Abes.  I have not kept a scoring sheet, but just watching the games, it feels like they keep the shots to a minimum.  I remember a few periods in the River Falls game where they gave up a few and a few corners.  Same at Arrowhead for the first 10 minutes, but overall, pretty impressive to limit the chances and keep shots on goal to a minimum.  Again, just solid fundamentals, great field awareness and positional sense across the pitch.

It is really early in the season, but so far, it looks good.  Another big test in Hudson on Thursday.  We will learn a lot about the team and how far they may go after a tough road game against last seasons BRC Champs.  Should be fun!