Eagan Loses Lead, Falls Behind in OT, Salvages Dramatic Tie
Eagan traveled to Eastview High School Tuesday, Sept. 4 for the first conference action this season for both teams. Above average temperatures left fans looking for shade. Conversations about the happenings of the first day of school permeated the air as the teams prepared for play. The Wildcats, hoping to bounce back from an overtime loss to Eden Prairie, came into the game ranked #7 in the state. Eastview, not to be outdone, held the #8 position in the poll. Eastview was playing without one of their top offensive threats because of a red card in the previous match. Eagan was without Jake Punch because of a head injury suffered in their previous match. The Lightning, as defending conference champions and state runner-up finalist from a year ago, were looking to protect their home turf.
The first half was fairly uneventful. Neither team generated much offensively as they battled the heat more than each other. Eagan was able to send two shots in the direction of the net. Eastview also sent two shots at the goal and had another two knocked down by Eagan defenders. The first half ended knotted at 0-0.
The second half, however, started with a jolt. In the 42nd minute Eagan’s Kyle Mayne threw the ball in at about the midfield line. His throw found the feet of Carter Johns who sent a seemingly harmless ball toward the far post. The ball seemed to hang high in the air and caught the Eastview keeper off guard. He back-pedaled, but the ball fell down under the crossbar and inside the post to give the Cats a 1-0 lead. Eagan held serve for the better part of the next 20 minutes with Juan Sjoberg and Wyatt Wagner connecting to create five shots with some nice scoring opportunities. Eastview seemed to find their legs at that point creating several scoring opportunities of their own, although they were only able to get two of their nine attempts on net. In the 69th minute Eastview took a throw-in deep in Eagan territory. This time Eagan was not able to clear the ball and the Lightning capitalized with a game-tying goal. Neither team scored in the last ten minutes meaning the second overtime for Eagan in as many nights.
Just three minutes into the OT Ryan Larson was left alone with an Eastview forward. Larson seemed to win the ball, but a second Lightning forward stepped in, took the ball to the net, and buried it for a 2-1 Eastview lead. As time wound down in the second overtime period Eagan had another throw-in deep in Eastview territory. Ed Olson launched a long throw into the penalty area that created a scramble in front of the keeper. As the ball bounced off of a couple of players Wyatt Wagner nudged it toward the far post where Kyle Mayne charged in to bury the ball with just 30 seconds left in the game to allow Eagan to return home with a 2-2 tie in their first league action.
The Cats will return home to face a tough Lakeville North team Thursday, September 6 before they return to the road in a non-conference match-up in Owatonna Saturday, Sept. 8th.
Rain Drops Don’t Rain on Eagan Boys’ Soccer Return Home
The Eagan High School Boys’ Soccer Team returned home after three tough road games, where they went 1-1-1, to face Lakeville North on Thursday, Sept. 6. Heavy rain clouds hung overhead, but couldn’t quite decide if they wanted to open up or hold their bounty. The occasional drops that fell and the cooling temperatures didn’t hinder the player’s performances, but the fans were forced to open and close their umbrellas several times over the course of the evening. Jake Punch was back in the action after missing the previous game due to a head injury and Jonah Garcia was in the starting line-up for the first time this early season. Juan Sjoberg and Wyatt Wagner moved up top together to start the game after seeing only short spurts together in those two positions through the first four games. Ryan Mott moved back to the outside midfield after filling in for Punch during the last contest along with Toby Heller in his regular slot. The back line stayed intact with Kyle Mayne, Ryan Larson, Carter Johns, and Ed Olson. The fifth game found Keith Krawza back in net as the keepers continue to rotate contests.
The Wildcats came out determined to get back on the winning track and to show their fans the excitement they came to see. The Cats controlled the ball and kept it in the North end of the field for much of the early part of the game. In the 10th minute Eagan produced a series of corner kicks. As Mayne moved to the right corner to send an in-swinging cross with his left foot, Mott started a run to the middle of the penalty area and got to the ball first as he drove a header home for the first goal of the game and a 1-0 lead for the Wildcats! As the half wore on Eagan maintained their pressure on Lakeville with Mott, Sjoberg, Wagner, Garcia, and late entry Sergio Munoz, getting shots on the net forcing North’s keeper to make five saves. The Cats had another six shots in the half that missed their intended mark. Lakeville managed six shots for the half, but Krawza was only forced to make one save as Eagan defenders knocked down a couple shots and three missed the net. The Cats went to the bench happy with their first half performance, but frustrated with only a 1-0 lead.
Lakeville started the second half showing their frustration at being behind by a goal. They controlled the ball early and when Eagan got caught out of position on a turnover deep in their own end, North was ready to take advantage. In the 42nd minute, Lakeville was able to play a ball to a free player up the middle who took a couple dribbles before laying the ball in the net to knot the game at 1-1. Eagan picked up the pace at that point and after a couple shots were knocked away by North defenders and one missed the net the Cats found themselves lining up for another corner kick. This time Mayne sent it long through the penalty area where Heller was able to get the ball down to his feet and play it back high in the middle where Garcia laced a low liner back toward the right post that went untouched as Eagan regained the lead 2-1. Two minutes later Coach Merrick cleared the bench sending in Chad Miller, Jordan Puchniak, Kevin Clough, Abdi Ali, Ahmed Ahmed, Kyle Stafani, and Sergio Munoz. For the next 23 minutes there was some back and forth play as Eagan maintained the tenuous one goal lead. All-in-all both teams managed six shots for the half. The difference was Krawza making two saves on the three shots North got on goal, while Lakeville’s keeper made one save on the two shots Eagan managed to direct at the net. Everyone was happy to walk away with another win to improve their record to 3-1-1, but they are still waiting for their offensive breakout.
After traveling to Owatonna on Saturday, the Cats will stay on the road for a game in Prior Lake Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 5 p.m. Eagan will return home Thursday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. against Rosemount. That game will be Eagan Athletic Association Night, Dance Line will perform at half time, and the Boys’ Varsity will be asking for canned food donations. Saturday, Sept. 15 will be at home as well as Eagan will take on Cretin in a non-conference match-up at 12:00 pm.
Eagan Must Use Disappointing Loss for Motivation
Saturday, Sept. 8, the Eagan High School Wildcats Boys’ Soccer Team traveled to Owatonna for an afternoon matinee game that would prove to be more than they bargained for. Having tied Eastview, and after beating Lakeville North earlier in the week, Eagan was hoping to build on the week's success. Instead they found a team looking to spoil Eagan’s place in the top ten, and that’s just what Owatonna did.
The Wildcats looked to be the better team early on, but the Owatonna keeper was able to stop every shot Eagan took and the Cats failed to capitalize on several early corner kicks. With a strong wind at his back, the Owatonna keeper sent a long punt deep into Eagan territory that found the Eagan keeper, Brady Martin, along with teammate Ryan Larson and an Owatonna forward converging on the ball near the top of the penalty area at the same time. The Owatonna player was able to just get a slight touch on the ball, and as everyone looked on, no one could do anything but watch as the ball slowly trickled toward the goal and over the line to put Owatonna up 1-0. In the 19th minute Eagan would finally even it up when Wyatt Wagner collected a ball about 30 yards from the goal and sent a ball wide to Toby Heller who found a streaking Juan Sjoberg heading toward the net where he was able to put the ball away to even the game at 1-1. Just four minutes later Owatonna was given a corner kick. The ball was played into the penalty area on the ground. No one seemed to be able to get a handle on the ball and after bouncing around off of a couple of players Owatonna collected the it and put it away to move up 2-1. Eagan continued to apply pressure sending 12 shots on goal for the half with the Owatonna keeper making six saves. Owatonna managed 11 shots with Martin making four saves as the Cats went to half down 2-1.
Eagan dominated the second half of play holding the ball in the Owatonna end for much of the period. But, even with 12 more shots that forced the Owatonna keeper to make five saves, Eagan was unable to find an equalizer. As time wound down, Eagan pushed players forward, which allowed Owatonna a couple of late shots that missed the net as precious time ran down. No last second magic was available to save Eagan from an extremely disappointing road loss. The only saving grace was that the game was a non-conference non-section matchup. If there was a game to take away a lesson learned, this was the type of game to fall flat in. The Cats will return to conference action this week as one of only four teams without a conference loss, but they cannot afford another performance like Saturday as they navigate their way through a very tough schedule the rest of the way.
Eagan will go to Prior Lake for a 5 p.m. start Tuesday, September 11. The Cats will be back home Thursday, September 13 against Rosemount for Eagan Athletic Association Night with many extra events including a canned food drive. Saturday, September 15 Cretin will come to Eagan for a 12:00 non-conference match-up. Come out and cheer on your Eagan Wildcats Boys’ Soccer Team.
