After finishing the regular season at 6-10-3, the Oxford Wildcats got off to a positive start in the soccer playoffs by defeating the Lapeer East Eagles 2-1.
The game was played Oct. 13 at the Eagles? home field.
The win was a positive note for Oxford, which had lost last year in the first round of the district playoffs for the first time in six seasons. After having tied Lapeer East during the season, they were determined to come away with a win.
John Thaler, Oxford Soccer Head Coach, described this game as a ‘grudge match? where both defenses held off many surges on goal.
The Eagles drew first blood when the ball was played in the Wildcats? box. The ball deflected off the crossbar back into play and onto the foot of a Lapeer East player, who punched it in.
‘It was a questionable goal as two East players were debatably offsides,? Thaler said. ‘However, the goal stood and we knew we could pull one back before half.?
And indeed they did. With less than five minutes until halftime, senior captain Steven Walker received a pass at the top of the 18-yard-goal box and slotted the ball to junior Steven Ferguson who curled a left-footed shot far post to notch the tying goal.
That’s how the half ended ? tied at one goal apiece.
The intensity continued in the second half as Oxford kept moving the ball around well and had a few distant shots. Finally, Oxford surged to take control. With 17 minutes left in the game, the Wildcats moved the ball deep into Eagle territory. The ball was passed outside to the sideline and Walker made a cross into the box. Junior Travis Roth rose above all the other players and headed the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper to move ahead 2-1.
Goalkeeper Tim Bachner thwarted the Eagles? attempts to tie the game while the defenders made what Thaler described as ‘outstanding plays?. Particularly, Matt Versteeg, Mark Hurrish, Tyler Hruska and Mike Kitchner.
‘They calmly rejected anymore balls that came through the back for the rest With the win Oxford moves into semi-final play on Wednesday. Oxford moves to 7-10-3 overall.
Prior to the first round of the playoffs, the Wildcats closed the season with a 4-3 loss to Flint Carmen-Ainsworth at home Oct. 8.
The loss marked the seventh time this season that Oxford lost a game by only one goal.
‘The game may have ended 4-3, but the Wildcats had a lot to be proud of,? said Thaler. ‘It was one of their strongest showings of the season against one of the top teams in the area.?
And against the Cavaliers, the Wildcats got on the board in the first five minutes when freshman Michael Kitchner launched a clearing ball into FCA’s goal box. When the goalkeeper came out to grab the ball, he overran it. The ball popped right to senior Jake Shafer, who notched the ball into the net to give Oxford a 1-0 lead.
Oxford’s defense went to work, but a turnover resulted in an FCA goal to tie the game up. The Wildcats continued making scoring threats while their defense worked to control two speedy Cavalier forwards who ran all over the back line.
The half ended with Oxford leading 2-1 after Shafer passed to Walker, who then scored. However, in the first five minutes of the half the Cavaliers scored on a breakaway to tie the game.
That tie was broken when senior Doug Kiracofe took a slotted pass from Roth and rifled a low shot to the near post to put Oxford up 3-2. Once again, FCA bounced back and tied the game.
Finally, with less than 10 minutes left, FCA scored on a near post shot and then clamped down on defense for the 4-3 win.