Port soccer forges conference split

Two well-played games yielded one victory for the Port Washington High School boys’ soccer team last week.

The Pirates knocked off West Bend West on the road, 3-2, last Thursday, after dropping a 3-1 decision to Nicolet at home on Sept. 17.

Against the Spartans, the Pirates held a 2-0 lead until giving up a goal just before halftime.

Midfielder Abdallah Khaled knocked a free kick from about 35 yards away to get the scoring started. The ball hit the bottom of the crossbar, bounced up and into the goal, coach Sean O’Brien said.

“He just hit it on a rope,” he said.

Port scored when the Spartans accidentally kicked the ball into their goal — called an own goal — to double its lead.

In the second half, Evan Huber found the back of the net on a through ball from Dagan Daniels on a counterattack. That gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead.

The Spartans scored on a penalty kick with four minutes to play. Then things got interesting as West put on the pressure to try to tie the game.

“It was a chaotic last four minutes there, I’ll tell you that,” O’Brien said. “It was all hands on deck.”

Against Nicolet two days before, the Pirates were right in the game until the end.

It was tied, 1-1, going into the 75th minute when the Knights got an own goal. They added another on a miscommunication on a corner kick.

“The score doesn’t reflect the game,” O’Brien said. “We were toe-to-toe with them. I think we had them frustrated.”

Port’s goal came uncredited after the ball deflected off someone after a corner kick.

Against the Knights, the Pirates were missing Neil Schlessinger, Thomas Garant, Porter Bostwick and Daniels to either injury or illness.

Port, 2-2 in the North Shore Conference, was to host Cedarburg (2-2) on Tuesday and play at Grafton (1-3) on Thursday.

Grafton clashes with powerhouses

Grafton’s boys saw improved play from the first game to the second last week, although the results still looked ugly on the scoreboard.

The Black Hawks lost at Homestead, 9-2, on Sept. 17, and to Whitefish Bay, 8-0, last Thursday.

Against the Highlanders, Max Stilb scored on a nice shot from 25 yards out, coach Don Arnold said.

Carlos Herreman scored from the box for the second goal.

“He was very resilient on it and was able to scrap one out of there,” Arnold said.

It was 3-0 at halftime before the Highlanders added six more.

Against the Blue Dukes, the Hawks played with more intensity. They were down, 2-0, at halftime from goals on two counterattacks, one that hit the crossbar.

“They played and they competed. It was a turnaround from the Homestead game,” Arnold said.

The Blue Dukes wore down the Hawks in the second half.

Grafton was to play at Hartford on Tuesday and host Port on Thursday. The Hawks host Martin Luther on Monday.

Effort is there for CG-Belgium

Cedar Grove-Belgium lost, 3-0, to Kiel last Thursday and is still seeking its first victory.

“I’m proud of the guys. They played hard. That has been consistent thus far, and that is to be admired,” coach Elias Garza said.

Garza credited Calvin Lutzke for playing well in the midfield and said Will Lautenschlaeger “put their backs under some difficulty.”

Jeremy Garside, he said, was strong on defense.

Last weekend’s tournament in Wrightstown was canceled due to poor field conditions.

The Rockets (0-5) were to play at New Holstein/Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah on Tuesday and at Oostburg on Thursday. They host Ozaukee on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Ozaukee looks to win first game

Ozaukee lost two games last week to slip to 0-7 on the season.

The Warriors lost, 4-0, to St. Mary Central on Sept. 17 and 12-2 at Sheboygan Falls last Thursday.

They play at the Kiel Invite on Saturday and host Random Lake on Tuesday, Sept. 24.