Soccer season comes to a close in districts
IMLAY CITY — The Yale soccer team saw its season come to an end last week when it fell to Imlay City 5-0 in the opening round of the tournament.
A few days earlier, prior to the end of the regular season, Yale played perhaps one of their best all around matches of the year and defeated Imlay City 1-0.
It was the Bulldogs first win over the Spartans in 11 years. To close out the regular season, Yale knocked off Armada 2-0 in BWAC action and finished 4-4-5 in the league and 5-7-5 overall.
Yale 2, Armada 0
First-half Goal: Liam Topolewski assisted by Benjamin Schnackenberg after Easton Bullard won an aerial ball in the midfield to start the counter attack goal.
Second-half goal: 10 minutes into the second half, after saving a cross from a corner kick, keeper Ian Campball found his brother Luke Campbell with a pass down the wing to start the counter attack. Luke played a 30-yard through ball to Topolewski to break into the final third. Topolewski and Schnackenberg combined on a give and go to giveTopolewski his 20th goal of the season.
“With Joshuaa Iles being out this game with an injury we had to rely on guys stepping up to control the midfield tonight,” said Coach Pat Egan. “Especially with Armada’s ability to control possession at times. Oliver Nelson, Benjamin Schnackenberg, and Easton Bullard provided us that much needed coverage in the midfield.”
The backline of Logan Wright, Drew Dykstra, and Zach Freehling, along with Yale’s keeper Ian Campbell, held off Armada’s attack for the team’s fourth shutout of the season.
“D.J. Mitch and Alex Runnals both hold the single season goal record after scoring 29 goals each in the 2015 season,” Egan said. “Our team and Liam has the ability to threaten that record next season.”
First round of districts
Yale 0, Imlay City 5
“Tonight wasn’t our night. Imlay City moved the ball well to avoid our pressure defense,” Egan said of his team’s loss to the Spartans in the tournament. “It is tough to fight back against a team of Imlay City’s quality when you go down early.”
Despite the early exit, Egan emphasized that the disappointing finish wouldn’t define the team’s progress or the foundation built throughout the year.
“We will look to learn from this loss and use it as motivation this off-season. I couldn’t be happier with our growth this season,” he said. “We can attribute that to our leadership from our captains and upperclassmen.”
Egan said senior Joshuaa Illes will be greatly missed in the program next season.
“He has been preaching “effort is everything” all season and it’s rubbed off on the guys. Even with him not being on the field with us next season; I know our guys will live up to the standard of effort Joshuaa set for our program over his four-year varsity soccer career.”
Yale’s win against Imlay City last week played spoiler in the league giving Macomb Lutheran North the outright BWAC title. This is the first time in 10 years that Imlay City has not won the Blue Water Area Conference.
