The Crookston Pirate Boys Soccer team struggled early and a late game comeback fell short as the Hibbing Bluejackets won 2-1 at the Crookston High School Soccer Field.
FIRST HALF –
The first half was a battle of two evenly matched teams and it looked like the two teams were feeling each other out. Almost 14 minutes into the game, Hibbing scored the first goal of the game when Dallas Hoover scored for a 1-0 lead. Crookston was only able to get two shots on goal and the teams were playing relatively even until Hibbing scored again with less than five minutes left in the half and Ashton Mangrove scored for a 2-0 lead. Hibbing took the 2-0 lead into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
Hibbing controlled the first 30 minutes or so of the second half and had several shots on goal, but Blake Melsa made save after save and the defense did a good job of not giving any high-quality scoring chances. The one quality scoring chance Hibbing had went over the net and the Bluejackets led 2-0 with 10 minutes left in the game. Crookston started to pick up the pace offensively and put a lot of pressure in the last 10 minutes of the game. With less than five minutes to go in the game, Crookston had a shot on goal and the Hibbing goalie made a save, but the ball bounced loose and the Pirates kicked it off the side of the net. With three minutes left in the game, the ball was loose in front of the Hibbing net and Crookston’s Caden Boike kicked it into the net to bring the Pirates within a 2-1 deficit. The Pirates weren’t able to score in the final minutes and Hibbing held on for a 2-1 victory.
Audio Player| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Hibbing | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| CROOKSTON | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring
13:47 – HIB – Dallas Hoover (Ashton Angrove)
35:04 – HIB – Ashton Mangrove
77:01 – Crox – Caden Boike (Jack Everett)
| SAVES | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Blake Melsa – Crox | 3 | 9 | 12 |
| Drew Forer – Hib | 2 | 6 | 8 |
