sports

CROOKSTON BOYS SOCCER FALLS IN 2OT TO HILLCREST ACADEMY

October 12, 2023

The Crookston Pirate Boys Soccer team turned in an outstanding defense effort, but it was a beautiful kick from about 30 yards out with 1:25 left in the second overtime as Fergus Falls Hillcrest Academy beat the Pirates 1-0 in a Section 8A quarterfinal played in Fergus Falls.

FIRST HALF –
Hillcrest started strong, with several shots on goal in the first minutes. Over four minutes into the game, the Comets had a shot on goal, and luckily for Crookston, Jackson Reese was back in the corner of the net, on the goal line, and made a huge save.
Halfway through the half, Hillcrest had another shot that just missed the net, and the goal remained scoreless. Hillcrest controlled most of the first 15 to 20 minutes of the half while taking advantage of the wind at their back.
Crookston settled in and played much better offensively the rest of the way and had their first quality scoring chance with 15 minutes left in the half as Michael Bochow snuck by a defender, and he got a kick on goal, but it was deflected wide of the goal, and the score remained scoreless.
Crookston continued to put pressure on the Hillcrest defense, but couldn’t find the back of the net, and the teams were scoreless going into halftime.

SECOND HALF –
The play in the second half was even for most of the 40 minutes. Hillcrest had the best scoring opportunity 15 minutes into the half, but a kick sailed over the top of the net.
Crookston had a solid opportunity when Brannon Tangquist kicked the ball toward the net for a centering pass, but it sailed onto the top of the net, and the teams remained scoreless.
Both teams picked up the pace in the final 10 minutes, but neither team had a solid scoring chance, and the game was scoreless after regulation, forcing overtime.

OVERTIME-
Two 10-minute sudden-death overtime periods are played, and both teams didn’t have any high-quality scoring chances in the first overtime period.
In the second overtime, Crookston was putting pressure on and had two decent scoring chances, but Hillcrest came up with stops before the shot could get on the net.
Crookston was controlling play late in the second overtime before Hillcrest took advantage of an opening in the Crookston zone, and from about 25 yards out, Zane Holmquist had a perfectly placed kick that sailed over the Pirate goalie and into the back of the net for the game-winning goal with 1:25 left in the game.

Crookston’s season comes to an end with a 6-7-2 record. The Pirates say goodbye to 11 seniors, including Caden Boike, Brannon Tangquist, Kadin Edwards, Dalen Korynta, Blake Melsa, Jackson Reese, Carter Trudeau, Even Trudeau, Wyatt Volker, David Threatt. and Lucas Miller.
Hillcrest Academy improves to 10-6-1 on the year.

FOR COACH LON BOIKE’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW-