Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School junior Braxten Surber takes a free kick during the first half of Thursday’s 7-3 loss to Pulaski at SCHS.
Just seven minutes into Thursday’s home game against Pulaski, the Shawano Community High School boys soccer team found itself in a 3-0 hole.
The Red Raiders tacked on another goal in the 20th minute to extend their lead to 4-0 en route to a 7-3 win.
“It was nice to get out to the quick start obviously. I wish we would have kept it going a little bit,” Pulaski head coach Jeff Schneider said. “(Shawano) settled in; they did well.”
Pulaski had many more chances throughout the first half, but started to slow down, which gave the Hawks some hope.
“The game would have been different,” Schneider said about the missed opportunities for his team. “We gave them some confidence, and they used it.”
SCHS began attacking, taking control of the ball, but could not get many shots at the net.
Then, in the 27th minute, Jacob Dickmann drilled a penalty kick after teammate Christian Bermejo was taken down in the box while on the attack.
“At some point during the season, I think we need to gel and come together,” SCHS head coach Bob Croschere said. “That may have been part way through this game. They had a 4-0 lead on us, and we played them 3-3 from there on out.”
With the added momentum, SCHS continued attacking the Red Raider defense.
The Hawks (2-3, 0-1 Bay Conference) scored their second goal of the game just three minutes later when Braxton Surber got a pass from Dickmann in the middle of the box and put the ball over the goalkeeper to narrow the margin to 4-2.
“Once you get one, you get on that roll where that second one is easy sometimes,” Croschere said. “We got the two, I was wishing for three or four.”
That was as close as the Hawks would get on the night.
One minute later, Zac Staszak found the back of the net after dribbling the ball past SCHS goalkeeper Manny Morel, who had 11 saves.
Jacob Moesch drilled a shot from outside of the box past a diving goalie for the Hawks’ third goal of the game in the 58th minute.
“Give them a lot of credit,” Schneider said. “They made it tough for us. We did get pushed a little more than we thought we would tonight, but ultimately, it was nice to get the win.”
Pulaski (3-1, 0-1 Fox River Classic Conference) then pulled away with goals in the 63rd and 87th minutes.
As the game wore on, Croschere believes his team may have hit a wall after not scoring for a while, which led to a little complacency and possibly cost the team the late goals.
He still likes where his team is at, as the Hawks could be finding their stride just five games into the season.
“We got a fairly young team still. I don’t have a lot of seniors playing,” he said. “I think we adjusted a few things, and we will see what happens in the games coming up.”