BEMIDJI 鈥� The first game of any season usually involves some ironing out of kinks. However, on Friday, that process cost the Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 boys soccer team a match it felt like it should have won.
The Lumberjacks controlled play against Sartell for the first 40 minutes, taking a 1-0 lead into halftime. But the Sabres鈥� second-half surge left BHS with a frustrating 2-1 loss.
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Most of Bemidji鈥檚 players competed in 21 games together on a U19 summer team, making Friday鈥檚 woes at Bemidji Middle 歪歪漫画 a little more head-scratching.
鈥淲e play in the toughest class in the state,鈥� BHS head coach Rick Toward said. 鈥淚 would say that top to bottom in this section, there鈥檚 nobody that will hand you a game. Not that we had games handed to us in the summer, but the level of competition (in Section 8-3A) is higher than the competition we played against this summer.鈥�
The Sabres found an equalizer early in the second frame. A trio of Bemidji defenders misplayed a series of clearing attempts, eventually giving Ben Jaenisch a 46th-minute gift in front of a wide-open goal.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e kids,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淪ometimes we lose focus. This isn鈥檛 FIFA on a PlayStation, and we鈥檙e going to make mistakes. Yeah, in that situation, I鈥檇 like my goalkeeper to take charge. But it鈥檚 his first varsity game. He played at the U16 level instead of with the U19 boys this summer, so he鈥檚 stepping into a situation that鈥檚 a little different than what he鈥檚 used to. In time, those goals won鈥檛 happen. But they did today.鈥�
Jaenisch then sparked the go-ahead goal nine minutes later, feeding a near-perfect crossing pass to the foot of Baylor Stebbins to make it 2-1.
鈥淚n the first half, we felt like we were in control,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淲e created enough chances to feel like we could鈥檝e been up two, maybe three (goals). We came out flat in the second half. They put one in, got the momentum and we chased the rest of the day.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if it was so much of Sartell鈥檚 adjustments or Sartell just wanting to win the ball more frequently. They wanted to win those 50/50 balls. They had more heart, drive, desire 鈥� whatever you want to call it 鈥� to get on the ball and get to the ball, especially in the middle of the field where we feel like we鈥檙e strong.鈥�
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In the 81st minute, junior forward Isaac Stone left the game with an injury away from the play, forcing the Lumberjacks to push for the tying goal without their best attacker. BHS still found ways to generate chances in the final nine minutes, including a few close shots from senior Noah Meyer and sophomore Jeron Huseby.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard for kids to see when a player like Isaac, who scores all of our goals, comes off the field,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淏ut they鈥檙e capable of (scoring). They just need to have the belief that they can produce like that. Hopefully, Isaac isn鈥檛 out for long, and we鈥檒l get after it again on Tuesday with him.鈥�
Bemidji scored the opening goal in the 28th minute. Controlling the ball in the midfield, Meyer dished a give-and-go pass to Austin Riewer, who got the ball back to Meyer in stride. Meyer carried the ball to the goal line before crossing a pass to Stone, who converted with ease.
鈥淚 think what we鈥檙e stressing with these guys is that we鈥檙e a team of 11 players out there,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淚saac and Noah play a similar game where they like the ball at their feet and like to go at defenders. That鈥檚 fine at times, but we鈥檇 also like to see them maybe combine at times, give the ball back and forth a little bit. It鈥檒l free each of them up for those one-on-ones that they like.鈥�
Despite a Bemidji possession edge in the first half, Sartell had two chances to get on the scoreboard in the 12th minute. Jacks sophomore goalkeeper Kellen Heuer made a save on a shot aimed for an opening below the crossbar. Heuer made another point-blank save on the ensuing corner kick to preserve a scoreless first half.
鈥淲hen he makes a mistake, everybody sees it because the ball is in the net,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淢ost of the guys on the rest of the field don鈥檛 have that same outcome. I told Kellen that I want him to make every save he鈥檚 supposed to make and one save each half that he鈥檚 not supposed to make. He made two in the first half that he wasn鈥檛 supposed to. And for his first game, I thought he did well.鈥�
Sartell 2, Bemidji 1
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SAR 0 2 鈥� 2
BHS 1 0 鈥� 1
Bemidji 鈥� Stone 28鈥� (Meyer).
Sartell 鈥� Jaenisch 46鈥�; Stebbins 55鈥� (Jaenisch).
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