BEMIDJI 鈥� The Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 boys soccer team saved its best for the second half.
Matched up with Alexandria on a chilly Saturday afternoon at Chet Anderson Stadium, the Lumberjacks went into halftime tied 0-0 with the Cardinals. But in the final 40 minutes, the contest transformed into a very different story.
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Bemidji thawed out its attack and buried five goals within a scorching 15-minute stretch, seizing full control of the outcome and extending its unbeaten streak to 11 matches with a 5-0 shutout win. It also marked the second straight game in which the Lumberjacks scored five goals in a 15-minute span.
鈥淚n the first half, we didn't really have a lot of shots and opportunities to even put the ball in the net,鈥� said senior midfielder Noah Meyer. 鈥淪o I thought (about) getting the ball and either shooting right away or going right at the goal. I was able to draw some (penalty kicks) and get us some free kicks, and that created some goals for us.鈥�
Meyer鈥檚 shot from 20 yards out was spilled by Alexandria goalkeeper Ethan Carlson, setting up Austin Riewer with an easy tap-in for the Jacks鈥� first goal in the 46th minute. Three minutes later, Meyer鈥檚 pace and crafty footwork drew back-to-back fouls in the 18-yard box. Nick Rautio converted the first penalty kick, and Meyer converted the next to put BHS up 3-0.
鈥淣ot a bad little find,鈥� said head coach Rick Toward of Meyer, who transferred in this year from Detroit Lakes. 鈥淲e don't normally get that. We usually have 鈥� we bring in exchange students or transfer students, and they wind up being the 17th or 18th man on the bench. But Noah's earned himself a starting position, and rightly so.鈥�
The Jacks weren鈥檛 done scoring. Riewer added his second goal in the 51st minute on a beautiful looping shot from 15 yards out that deflected off the crossbar and in. Nine minutes later, Brady Riley headed in a half-field pass from Lincoln Schmitt to put the Cardinals away.
鈥淯sually, we're a team that once we start to get going, we keep going,鈥� Meyer said. 鈥淥nce we get that momentum, it's easier for us to get the second goal, third goal, fourth goal. So that's usually how we are, and after that first goal, we keep going. We don't let up. 鈥� If we can get that 2-0 lead, then they put their heads down, and we just keep attacking. After that, we know we have the game.鈥�
With Saturday鈥檚 final regular-season triumph, the Lumberjacks (11-2-3) enter the Section 8-3A Tournament on a five-match clean-sheet streak to accompany their run of 11 consecutive wins or ties. Bemidji seems to be getting healthy and building confidence at the right time. Now, Toward hopes the Jacks鈥� talented squad can sustain its optimum level of play for 80 minutes instead of 15.
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鈥淭hat鈥檚 the challenge of any coach,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淗ow do you play to the ability that you have for the longest period of time that you can? Alexandria looked great for moments in the game, but we had more great moments than they did, and that's typically what happens. 鈥� You're managing injuries and emotions and decision-making. You're trying to get the best 11 on the field that you can.鈥�
For Meyer, his goals are straightforward as Bemidji enters the section playoffs. As he rounds into form after suffering a hamstring injury earlier this season, he鈥檚 feeling urgency as the window closes on his high school career.
鈥淓verybody's team goal would be to go to the state tournament,鈥� Meyer said. 鈥淚 transferred here from Detroit Lakes, and that was my goal (too) 鈥� to go to the state tournament, play in US Bank (Stadium). So that's what we're hoping for.鈥�
Toward has seen intermittent flashes of elite performance from his BHS group. Now, he鈥檚 hoping they鈥檒l level up and take the program where it鈥檚 never been before.
鈥淲e're in a good place,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e're on a good run. Last year, we finished strong also, and that played off into some success in the (8-3A) tournament. This is our fourth year as a (Class) 3A school. Last year was the first year we'd won a game in 3A, and this year, we've won five. So I鈥檓 pretty happy with how things are going so far.鈥�
Bemidji earns No. 3 seed
The Jacks earned the No. 3 seed in the Section 8-3A Tournament and will host Brainerd at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12, at the Chet. Despite its unbeaten streak of 11 matches, a loss to Sartell and a forfeit win over St. Michael-Albertville proved costly in the coaches鈥� vote for section tournament seeding on Monday morning.
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STMA earned the top spot and will host No. 8 Elk River. Sartell hosts seventh-seeded Sauk Rapids-Rice, while fourth-seeded Buffalo welcomes fifth-seeded Moorhead to town on Thursday. The semifinal round will be hosted by the high seeds on Tuesday, Oct. 17, with the championship game on Thursday, Oct. 19.
Tickets for BHS home playoff games can be purchased online only at .
Bemidji 5, Alexandria 0
ALX 0 0 鈥� 0
BHS 0 5 鈥� 5
Bemidji 鈥� Riewer 46鈥� (Meyer), 51鈥� (Johnson); Rautio 49鈥� (PK); Meyer 49鈥� (PK); Riley 60鈥� (Schmitt).
Alexandria 鈥� No scoring.
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Saves 鈥� Heuer (BHS) 3; Olson (BHS) 2; Carlson (ALX) 5; Huebner (ALX) 0.
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