MOSINEE BOYS SOCCER SHUTS OUT LAKELAND TO WIN D-3 SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL
Zaleski Sports
MINOCQUA – The Mosinee boys soccer team is a win away from its first state tournament appearance after a narrow 1-0 victory over Great Northern Conference-rival Lakeland in a WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal on Thursday at Lakeland High School.
Since a 4-0 loss to Lakeland back in September, Mosinee has ripped off 10-straight wins, including two over the GNC champion Thunderbirds, who finish the season 16-3-3.
Mosinee (18-4) moves on to the Division 3 sectional final at No. 1 seed Rice Lake (16-6-2) on Saturday night at 7 p.m. The winner advances to the WIAA State Boys Soccer Tournament in Milwaukee next week.
Mosinee sent Josh Ivey to man-mark GNC Player of the Year Yaroslav Myschyshyn, while Ethan Tazelaar and Ondrej Napravnik held down the edges. Cole Kowalski was tasked with directing any ball that got through, and Keaton Wieloch stood between the pipes for the Indians, coach Joseph Carlson said.
Mosinee’s first scoring chance came early as Napravnik carried a ball into space and at just the right time put the ball through to Toren Holtz, who shielded off the defender and broke to the goal to score in the 11th minute to give the Indians a quick lead.
Mosinee had a few more scoring opportunities, but to no avail, and Wieloch saved a shot on a direct kick to preserve the lead in the first half.
A misty rain provided slippery conditions in the second half.
Mosinee had a pair of breakaway chances that were turned away, and the Indians’ defense did the same to Lakeland has five fouls yielded direct kicks from inside 25 yards, but no goals.
Time and again Wieloch set his wall, Carlson said, and the defense flared out to defend and held off every attempt as Mosinee eventually was able to run out the clock and savor the shutout win.