Port Washington soccer has found its offense

It took a few games for the Port Washington High School boys’ soccer team’s offense to get going, but when it did the Pirates hit overdrive.

Port beat West Bend East, 8-0, last Thursday in a game shortened by the new mercy rule of eight goals instead of 10 after 60 minutes of play.

“We came in with open minds and played our way, and pushed it to our limits,” coach Tyler Schultz said.

Luke Markiewicz had three goals, Port Bostwick had two, and Wesley Hoag, Turner Styles and Keaton Knous each had one.

Before Thursday, Port had only scored one goal in its three first games.

Last Saturday, Port went 1-1 and won the Sheboygan North Tournament thanks to a unique system of awarding points.

Port lost to Appleton West, 4-2, before beating Racine Horlick, 3-1. Against West, Bostwick and Styles scored. Against Horlick, Bostwick, Lucas Poull and Joseph Sepanic scored.

“We just didn’t capitalize on the first couple of opportunities we had. Gave away a stupid penalty kick,” Schultz said of the loss.

In the win, “pretty much everybody stepped up. We just came out hungry.”

Schultz lauded his defense.

“Connor Cowen has been a rock in the back line,” he said. “Spencer Struckman has been saving everything he can get his hands to.”

The offense, he said, has come out of its shell.

“We kind of started waking up and being able to pass the ball around and get past everyone,” he said.

Port, 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the North Shore Conference, was to play at Nicolet on Tuesday, Sept. 13, host Slinger on Thursday, Sept. 15, and host a tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Pirates play at Homestead on Tuesday, Sept. 20, and at West Allis Central/Hale on Wednesday, Sept. 21.

Grafton responds to coach’s challenge

Grafton knew it was up against a top-notch opponent last Thursday in hosting Cedarburg, and coach Jason Rodgers wanted to see his team step up to the plate.

“I challenged the boys to come out and press and play quickly. They did everything I asked,” he said.

Cedarburg, ranked No. 5 in Division 2 in the Wisconsin Association of Soccer Coaches poll, won, 2-1, but Rodgers was pleased.

“If they play that way the rest of the way, I’ll be happy,” he said.

The Black Hawks scored in the first half. Luke Jackson was fouled in the penalty box, and Cayden Sumner found the net on the penalty kick for his 10th goal of the season.

The game was tied at 1 at halftime.

The Bulldogs got the winner midway through the second half.

“We were up for a free kick and got countered. They put a shot on the frame,” Rodgers said.

He praised his defenders for keeping the Hawks in the game. The three center backs, Ben Widmann, Aidan Roddy and especially senior co-captain Lukas Hensel excelled.

“He has been playing center back since we took over,” Rodgers said.

“He’s a very high IQ player. It’s good to have that back there to pull the strings when need be.”

The Hawks, 1-1 in the North Shore Conference and 2-3 overall, were to play at Whitefish Bay on Tuesday, Sept. 13, host West Bend East on Thursday, Sept. 15, play at Brown Deer on Friday, Sept. 16, and at Nicolet on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

Correction: Grafton’s Lukas Hensel was misidentified in last week’s team photo. He is No. 21.

CG-Belgium stays with powerhouse

Cedar Grove-Belgium allowed 22 goals in two losses to Oostburg last season. This season, the Rockets barely gave up one last Thursday.

Oostburg, the No. 2 ranked team in Division 4, escaped with a 1-0 home win over its rival.

“That was quite the thriller,” coach Kyle Schultz said.

“I wasn’t expecting a lot to come out of that game, but we held on for 75 minutes. They only beat us off of a penalty kick with five minutes left in the game.”

Despite the loss, Schultz called it “the best game of soccer I’ve coached. I felt it was more of a victory than a loss at the end of the game.”

He said his entire team played well, especially the defense.

“It just seemed that they couldn’t make a mistake in that game,” Schultz said.

Keeper Landon Altheimer made a handful of “acrobatic saves” to keep the Rockets in the game, he said.

The Rockets’ offense faced a tough task.

“They have a very tough defense to break down. I think we had four or five opportunities,” Schultz said.

The Rockets beat Kewaunee, 6-2, at home on Sept. 6. Caleb Heinen scored four times, topping last season’s goal total, and Logan Navis and Jesse Burg each had one goal.

“He’s putting something together,” Schultz said of Heinen.

Navis had five assists.

“That was very nice actually. He and Caleb had hooked up well together,” Schultz said.

Last Saturday, the Rockets had a letdown after the excitement at Oostburg in a 3-0 loss at Columbus.

“In hindsight, had I expected that kind of battle I wouldn’t have scheduled a game,” Schultz said.

Columbus, he said, had a good keeper who stood at least 6 feet, 4 inches tall, making it hard to get a ball by him.

The Rockets, 4-3 overall and 0-2 in the Big East Conference — their two losses were to the top two ranked teams in Division 4, Sheboygan Christian/Lutheran and Oostburg — were to host nonconference foe Shoreland Lutheran on Tuesday, Sept. 13, host Howards Grove/Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah on Thursday Sept. 15, host Eastbrook Academy at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, and Algoma at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20.