Eight is enough

Cedar Grove-Belgium High School girls’ soccer coach Zac Garza gave all his Rockets a chance to play along with an example of sportsmanship on May 25.

Garza knew his undefeated team was supremely superior to 1-7 non-conference foe Lomira, which could only put eight players on the field due to injuries.

Instead of running an 11-player lineup, Garza offered to match Lomira’s eight, something none of the Lions’ opponents had done this season.

Lomira’s coaches, Garza said, were grateful.

“Our girls aren’t going to get anything out of that if we’re playing 11 versus eight,” Garza said.

But the road contest had its advantages.

“They have fantastic facilities, one of the most beautiful athletic complexes you’ll go to. I knew we could get something out of playing in that environment,” Garza said.

The Rockets’ eight still put up video-game numbers, winning 14-0 in 60 minutes, with the game shortened by the 10-goal mercy rule. It was tied for Lomira’s second worst loss of the season and only the second time a game went beyond halftime.

Hailey Prom and Alexis Bahr each had three goals. Grace Gauger and Payton Navis each had two. Jessica Sutryk, Alyssa Mentink, Cheyenne Simonet and Brooke Braga, playing the field rather than goalkeeper, each scored one.

Madison Bohacek had three assists. Bahr and Ashley Acevedo each had two. Mentink, Sutryk, Prom, Navis, Braga, and Emilie Beaudry each had one.

Junior forward Genesis Ciske played goalkeeper and made one save.

The Rockets, 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the Big East Conference, are up for the league title after going undefeated in 2019. They were to face a tough opponent on the road on Tuesday in Kewaskum (11-2) before a showdown at home with Howards Grove (5-1 Big East) at 6 p.m. Thursday.

“That will likely decide what the conference title looks like,” Garza said.

The league’s other top team is 5-1 St. Mary Catholic, which beat Howards Grove, 4-3, on May 25 and lost to the Rockets 3-0 earlier in the season.

If they get by Howards Grove, the Rockets still have to win at Ozaukee at 4:30 p.m. Friday and against Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah (2-3) at 6 p.m. Monday, June 7, in a game that was postponed from May 27 due to rain.

Wins in those three games would give the Rockets their second straight undefeated Big East season, after attaining the feat in 2019.

Ozaukee improves but is still winless

Ozaukee tied a season high for goals on May 25 in a 4-2 loss at Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah. Senior Grace Tinder freshman and Meredith Clark each scored for the Warriors, and the game was 2-2 at halftime.

“We had a lot of shots on goal, for some reason we just could not get them in. It was a very fun game to watch because you could tell how bad both teams wanted to win,” coach Kaylie Kraus said.

“Our girls were very supportive of one another and were cheering each other on while playing, which I love to see.”

Sophomore goalkeeper Evelyn Geis made 32 saves, “which is very impressive considering the few games she has played as goalie,” Kraus said.

She also praised Madison Karmison and Caitlyn Weyker for their aggressive play.

“You could tell during the game that they both gave their all,” Kraus said.

Last Thursday in a rainstorm, the Warriors lost, 4-0, to St. Mary Catholic. It was 2-0 at halftime.

“This game was a primarily defensive game for us. While we only had six shots on goal, our goalie managed to save 30 of their shots,” Kraus said.

The Warriors, 0-7, finish the regular season at Cedar Grove-Belgium on Friday. Kraus and her family are close friends of the Rockets’ coaches, and former star Abby Kraus, who is helping coach the Rockets this year, is her cousin.

“I am expecting this to be a fun game,” Kaylie Kraus said.