The Becker boys soccer team took two of three games this week — including knocking off a previously unbeaten team — to improve to 2-3 on the year.

 

 

Senior Captain Nick Vieau made a statement to his team earlier in the day at the Homecoming Pepfest.  

 

“We have Little Falls tonight,” he said.  “They don't like us and we don't like them.  It's going to be a great game.”

 

Little did he know how true those words would ring on the soggy pitch later that evening.  The two teams faced off as the 30 m.p.h. winds swirled on the open field at 7 p.m. 

 

“We lost the toss and they chose the wind and the sun to their back,” said Head Coach Alex Jurek.  “It put us at a very big disadvantage as (goalie) Hunter McCalla had to stare down that sun for the first 20 minutes. I had the defense settle back and just be patient.” 

 

Right from the get-go, Becker took control on offense and tested the Little Falls defense and keeper.  The midfield provided deft touches and crisp passes to the forwards.  

 

However, the strong winds limited any full sends for the Bulldogs — so they stayed patient and kept the ball low, playing up the lines.  

 

But, at the 27th minute, Little Falls shook the ball  loose and had a clean breakaway against McCalla, who scrambled and made a key move — but the Flyer shooter found the back of the net to put the visitors up 1-0.

 

The goal set Becker on their heels for the remainder of the half.

 

In the second half, Becker began with a square, 3-3-3 sweep formation.  

 

“We knew they were going to load up their backfield, so I put my three forwards on the line,” said Jurek.  “The tempo that Andrew Davalos set early on really cracked open their defense.”

 

With the wind and the sun at their backs, Becker started flying —tallying 20 shots  from eight different players.  

 

Finally, with the Flyers trying to curb the onslaught, freshman midfielder Jordan Gruenes streaked the last 20 yards of the field and ripped a shot that sailed into the back of the net.

With 16 minutes remaining, the game was tied and both teams thirsted for the win.  

 

Becker was relentless and at the 72nd minute, junior midfielder Tate Weisse put a crossing pass on target to Vieau and his header went up and just over the crossbar.

 

“You don't get many of those chances,” said the head coach. “Homecoming week against a rival that has that much on the line. People dream their whole lives for a chance like that. I was afraid it was going to be a nightmare for Nick after that ball started to sail high.”

 

The Flyers, desperate for a late comeback, stiffened up their defense and started to push back against the Bulldogs as the clock wound down.  For the last five minutes, the ball stayed on the Bulldogs’ side of the field.  

 

But Becker prevailed and celebrated when the horn sounded to end the game.

 

 

Tuesday, Becker hosted St. John’s Prep and lost in a shutout.

 

Last year, the Bulldogs bested the Johnnies twice in three match-ups, one being at the Watertown-Mayer tournament.

 

“This rivalry has been brewing for some time,” said Jurek.  “Neither team has taken the entire series since we started conference play five years ago.”

 

The Bulldogs started the game in their 3-3-3 with sweep formation.  It proved to offer them balance as they were able to move the ball with ease on the Johnnies.  However, the barrage of Bulldog assaults seemed to lose steam on the 18 yard line.

 

“We haven't been capitalizing and we aren't recovering our shape when we go back on defense,” said the head coach.  

 

The lack of formation shape proved to be costly as St. John's netted an early goal, which happened to be the only goal of the first half.  

 

When the Bulldogs took the pitch in the second half, they started to push against the Johnnies defense. Fowards Andrew Davalos and Logan Boyer were getting good looks at the goal, but neither were able to capitalize.  With 13 minutes left in the match, the Johnnies had a corner kick from the left and they put the game on ice, scoring for the second time to win the game.

 

 

Monday Night, the Bulldogs travelled to Cold Spring to take on the undefeated Spartans of Rocori (3-0-1).  

 

The field was lacking for grass and was dry and dusty — something that Junior Captain Qadry Fakhreddine took note to mention to his teammates before the contest.

 

“This field is hard and the ball will roll fast, so let's take shots early and often,” he preached to his teammates.

 

Fakhreddine was correct - the ball seemed to have no friction between the field and its roll.  The Bulldogs played this to their advantage early and often.

 

The first half was all Black as the Bulldogs pushed onto a Spartan defense that was starting to give ground with every Bulldog attack.  The ‘Dawgs racked up shot after shot as the minutes ticked by.  

 

Finally, at the 23rd minute, a drive was started by senior Captain Nick Vieau. The Bulldogs were awarded a corner kick after a Rocori defender sent the ball out of the goal line.  Senior Captain Collin McDowell put the ball up and in front of the ne and in a scrum, junior defensemen Noah Arrigoni netted the ball for the Bulldogs first lead all season.

 

“We have been getting beat on these set pieces and 50/50's all season,” said Jurek.  “Our guys were processing when they should have been reacting.”  

 

Jurek said all last week his team worked on these issues and it appeared his team responded. 

 

Ten minutes later, with a direct kick right on the five yard line, Fakhreddine put the ball up and off the back post for the second goal.  

 

In the second half, Becker proved stalwart on defense and shut down wave-after-wave of Spartan assaults.  The Bulldogs left Cold Spring with the win, knocking off the last undefeated team in Central Minnesota.

 

Today (Saturday), the Bulldogs host a four-school tournament against North Branch, Princeton and Mesabi-East. They host Melrose Thursday and travel to Mayer Lutheran  next Saturday.