The Crookston Pirates Boy’s soccer team suffered its second straight shutout in an 8-0 loss against the Fergus Falls Otters in a Section 8A game played on the Crookston High School Soccer Field.
In the first-half, Fergus Falls utilized a strong wind at their back to dominate possession in Crookston’s defensive half. Crookston goalkeeper Kaleb Thingelstad faced fifteen shots in the first half keeping the Pirates in the match with thirteen saves. Fergus Falls broke through the Crookston defense when Sterling Andrews slotted a cross from Matthew Niblock into the net 19:40 into the match giving the Otters a 1-0 lead. Andrew Starzl doubled the visitor’s advantage 26:23 into the half after Patrick Sullivan found Starzl with a through ball towards the 18-yard box, which Starzl collected, dribbling through the defense and firing a shot past Thingelstad giving the Otters a 2-0 halftime lead. “I thought we played really well in the first half,” explained Crookston head coach Lon Boike. “They got one goal, that was a good one for them, but the second goal, the kid, I don’t even know how he got it in there. The ball went right across the goal, and he snuck it in there. At 2-0, it’s not a terrible feeling. We were good for a little while, and I thought we’d play better because they were going into the wind in the second half.”
In the second half, Fergus Falls was able to add to their lead. Sterling Andrews dribbled into the box for the Otters sending a short pass to Shane Zierdan who tapped in the goal giving the visitors a 3-0 lead in the 51st minute. Fergus Falls added two more goals in the 64th minute. 63:09 into the match, Shane Zierdan scored his second goal before Arafat Abdallah got in on the scoring with a chip shot from the edge of the 18-yard box that clipped the crossbar, crossing the goal line to make it 5-0. Abdaller scored his second goal just fifteen seconds later making it 6-0. Jack Baker scored the Otter seventh goal after receiving a pass from Jose Rodriguez boosting Fergus Falls’ edge to 7-0. Patrick Sullivan notched the eighth and final goal in the 76th minute closing out the Otters 8-0 win. “We just weren’t getting to the ball,” summarized Boike. “They would dump it in there, and their kids ran it down. That hurt us on probably three or four of those goals. I don’t think they’re seven or eight goals better than us. I know they’re a pretty good team. I’m sure these guys are going to have a pretty good year, but it will be different next time we play them. We’re missing three or four guys that will be starters for us, and our eighth graders are getting some pretty good experience too. There’s no excuse for us, but next time it will be better.”
Crookston falls to 0-2 on the year and will travel to take on Pelican Rapids on Tuesday, August 27 at 4:00 P.M. Fergus Falls improves to 2-0.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Fergus Falls | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| CROOKSTON | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring
19:40 – FF – Sterling Andrews (Matthew Niblock)
26:23 – FF – Andrew Starzl (Patrick Sullivan)
50:06 – FF – Shane Zierdan (Sterling Andrews)
63:09 – FF – Shane Zierdan
63:58 – FF – Arafat Abdallah
64:13 – FF – Arafat Abdallah
73:10 – FF – Jack Baker (Jose Rodriguez)
75:16 – FF – Patrick Sullivan
| Saves | 1st | 2nd | Total |
| Ian Stumbo – FF | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Kaleb Thingelstad – CROX | 13 | 4 | 17 |
| Caden Boike – CROX | 0 | 1 | 1 |
