The Becker boys soccer team shutout one team, then got shutout themselves as they neared the end of the regular season.
Little Falls 1, Becker 0
On a sunny and balmy Tuesday, the boys visited Little Falls for a Granite Ridge Conference game and came up empty on the scoreboard.
The Bulldogs looked unsure of how to set the pace in the game as center midfielder, and junior captain Qadry Fahkreddine was out for the game.
“We had a few chances early in the half, but we weren't putting the ball on goal,” said Head Coach Alex Jurek.
The Bulldogs have struggled with shots and goals as of late as they were recently held scoreless in two matches leading up to the game against the Flyers.
The first half ended with neither team looking like they were confident enough to take too many shots on goal.
The second half was more of the same until junior forward Brandon Abrahamson started to find slivers of light. As he pressed the line, Abrahamson was able to connect with the ball a few times, but none eluded the goalkeeper to find the net. The lack of pressure on their goal allowed the Flyers to press harder on Becker's keeper.
Late in the second half, the Flyers netted their first and only goal of the game and it would be the match winner.
Becker 4, Rockford 0
On a chilly Thursday night on their home turf, the Rockford Rockets came to Becker for Senior Night. The Rockets were coming off a great win against #10-ranked Delano Tuesday and were on a streak of four games where they hadn't lost.
“We knew they were coming in here battled tested with a great string of games going,” said Jurek. “We had to set the tempo in order to win this one.”
And set the tempo they did as Becker started off the match in a 3-3-3 with sweep formation. It appeared early on as though the Bulldogs were content to keep the game in a slow tempo. But senior George Lomeli was playing a different role as the left forward.
“I have been waiting for George to show me something,” said Jurek. “And he did the last few games. So I let him ride in the forward position.”
And it paid off in a big way.
Twenty-two minutes into the game, Lomeli took the ball up the left side and found an opening while eyeing the keeper. He launched the ball and it sailed up and over the keeper's fingers and into the back of the net.
Ten minutes later, senior center forward Mitchell Bentley blew up the defense and had a clear breakaway. Bentley drove towards the net and picked his spot and got ready to put his best foot forward — only to have the Rockford defender tackle him from behind. However, the call on the field was offensive tripping and that would be the last chance for either team before half.
The second half had a different feel to it as both teams were more willing to let the ball fly. The loose play allowed for the keepers to be exposed at times and the Bulldogs looked to capitalize on it.
“I had been after these boys the last few days about getting shots early and often,” said Jurek. “Not just in the game itself, but in the play progression. Early shots will bury a keeper deep.”
Freshman center midfielder Jordan Gruenes let a couple shots fly and not to be out done, junior midfielder Tate Weise and senior sweeper Andrew Davalos started letting the ball rip on goal.
“I knew once the other midfielders started to shoot, Collin (McDowell) would have to get going. Nobody on our team or that we played against has a shot like Collin.”
Once the freshman started taking shots, Jurek knew it was only a matter of time before he found the net.
And, with 18 minutes left in the game, McDowell collected the ball at the 35, put himself to the 30 and ripped off a shot that was true to the right post and then into the back of the net.
Becker was up 2-0.
But they were not done. They slid into a different formation and pulled a forward out and put in a fourth midfielder.
“I wanted to start pumping the brakes, take the pressure off of our defense and still allow for some offense,” said the head coach. “So we left two strikers and put in a couple of holding midfielders.”
The strategy and the tempo worked.
The Becker offense pinned the Rockets deeper into their half of the pitch and the aggressive play from the Becker forwards kept the ball in the penalty box area for much of the remaining minutes.
With good play comes good fortune and with four minutes left, a Rockets defenseman handballed the ball in the box. McDowell was sent to the penalty kick line and he put the ball past the goalie.
To cap things off in the 78th minute, senior captain Nick Vieau was sent a pass from Davalos and he buried Becker’s fourth goal.
The win brought Becker’s record to 6- 9 with one game remaining — a showdown against St. Cloud Cathedral Friday night in St. Cloud (full report on results from the match will appear in next week’s Citizen).
The Section 6A tournament is slated to begin Oct. 13.
