BEMIDJI 鈥� A lot of Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 seniors play boys soccer 鈥� enough to fill out an entire lineup.
So that鈥檚 what head coach Rick Toward did on Senior Night.
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From top to bottom, the Lumberjacks had 11 seniors in 11 positions at Chet Anderson Stadium on Thursday night. BHS rolled to an efficient 10-0 win over Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in its final home game of the regular season.
Charlie Zellmann, Al Toward, Isaac Stone, Brady Riley, Andrew Kavanagh, Lincoln Schmitt, Hunter Olson, Dash Hiller, Sam Bryne and Reed Johnson all took the pitch together, but it wasn鈥檛 until the game was out of reach when the senior moments were cemented.
In the 57th minute, after most of the seniors were taken off the field, Bemidji's focus shifted. The objective was to get Renn, a defender, his first goal.
After several close calls, Renn got it, and the players on the sideline rushed the field in euphoria.
鈥淚t was epic,鈥� Renn said. 鈥淚t was so epic to be out there and finally connect on one. I was excited, and I was like, 鈥業t鈥檚 finally here. I finally got one.鈥欌��
With plenty of time left on the clock, the Lumberjacks shifted the attention once again. This time it was pointed toward Kavanagh, who scored his first varsity goal in the 77th minute.
鈥淚t was one of the happiest moments of my life,鈥� Kavanagh said. 鈥淚t was really cool, the whole night was really cool.鈥�
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Once again, the Jacks rushed the field.
鈥淭hey never get old,鈥� Toward said of the celebratory moments. 鈥淵ou love to see your kids celebrate each other. To me, it says a lot about the things we want sports to give us besides a victory. It鈥檚 camaraderie, teamwork 鈥� all of those things. These guys genuinely care about each other.鈥�
Eight of the 11 BHS seniors found themselves on the scoresheet. But in the waning moments on Senior Night, the generosity Toward saw from his players stood out.
鈥淭here were several kids on the field who had yet to score this year,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淏ut they鈥檙e underclassmen. They turned down the opportunity to get a goal. They made the extra pass to make sure (Kavanagh) got one. The selflessness of each of these guys and the commitment we鈥檙e trying to get, it鈥檚 rewarding to know they value that.鈥�
For Renn, he finally got a different vantage point for one of those moments.
鈥淚鈥檝e been on the other side of it, celebrating with everybody else,鈥� Renn said. 鈥淚t was fun to kind of be the person they鈥檙e celebrating this time. It was super special, and I鈥檒l remember it for a long time.鈥�
Stone and Byrne each scored twice, while Johnson, Riley, Austin Riewer and an own goal accounted for the rest of Bemidji鈥檚 scoring. Al Toward and Schmitt each had an assist.
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One senior, however, played all 80 minutes and didn鈥檛 chip in offensively. That鈥檚 because he was in net.
Junior Kellen Heuer typically starts in goal for the Lumberjacks. However, he鈥檚 currently nursing an injury, and his recovery paved the way for Olson to play his third game at keeper.
Olson made one save in the clean sheet Lakes to Prairie Conference championship-clinching win.
鈥淗e played the game in Sartell and had a clean sheet there,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淗e played a half over in Crookston last night and had one there too. He鈥檚 played 200 minutes without giving up a goal. 鈥� Hunter had the opportunity to play, and he hasn鈥檛 scored a varsity goal. But he said, 鈥楴o, I鈥檒l be your goalie tonight.鈥欌��
As for Toward, who鈥檚 nearing the end of his 30th season as the head coach of the Jacks, he can鈥檛 recall many opportunities to play a senior in every spot to open a Senior Night match like he did on Thursday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty unusual,鈥� Toward said. 鈥淭ypically, we鈥檙e in that five, six, seven range on a good year. This group has been together for a long time. My kid being a part of it, I鈥檝e known these kids for a long time, and that makes it a little extra special.鈥�
Bemidji has one more game before it turns the page to the Section 8-3A playoffs. With one final tune-up against St. Cloud Cathedral on the road on Saturday, the Lumberjacks are looking to extend their unbeaten streak to 12 games.
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But for now, Renn will relish a night that was years in the making. After the win, BHS players hoisted their head coach over their shoulders in yet another celebration. This time, it was for Toward鈥檚 birthday.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been playing together for a long, long time,鈥� Renn said. 鈥淭onight was a manifestation of all of those years of play.鈥�
Bemidji 10, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 0
HLA 0 0 鈥� 0
BHS 3 7 鈥� 10
Bemidji 鈥� Johnson 9鈥� (Byrne); Stone 9鈥� (Riley), 48鈥� (Riewer); Own goal 12鈥�; Riley 47鈥� (Riewer); Riewer 48鈥� (Toward); Byrne 50鈥� (Schmitt), 51鈥� (Riley); Renn 57鈥�; Kavanagh 77鈥� (Ceballos).
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 鈥� No scoring.
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Saves 鈥� Olson (BHS) 1; Selvig (HLA) 14.
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