Soccer numbers are down in Grafton

Grafton High School returns two of its four all-conference players to its boys’ soccer team this season. It could just use some more bodies.

Coach Don Arnold said the numbers are so low that the program won’t have a junior varsity team this season.

The last few years have seen double-digit graduates and the classes replacing them haven’t been as large, he said.

Arnold said he looks forward to a solid eighth-grade group next year since he has 11 seniors on this year’s team.

Among them are midfielder Max Stilb, who made the North Shore Conference second team last season after scoring nine goals and having seven assists.

Also back is senior defender Victor Geiser, who had a goal and two assists in receiving NSC honorable mention honors last year.

Gone are defender Brandon Pegelow and goalkeeper Isaiah Voiland, both all-conference players.

So far, Arnold said Nathan Wagner is playing a big role, along with Jonathan Weinhold and Tailon Langerman.

Scoring will be spread out, but Stilb will always be on top, Arnold said. Wagner and Weinhold could be in the mix.

Elijah Voss is the team’s sweeper and Langerman, Kolton Micoliczyk and Noah Pegelow will contribute on defense.

The Black Hawks evened their conference record at 1-1 by beating West Bend East, 3-0, on Sept. 10.

Lucas Hensel scored from the corner of the 18-yard box, booting the ball to the corner of the goal.

Carlos Herreman redirected a ball to the goal on an assist from Langerman, who had worked the wings looking for a way to get inside.

Wagner hit a bomb to the corner for the third goal.

“I thought we played pretty well and didn’t get flustered. East defensively was really tight in the back,” Arnold said.

Stilb and Tanner Marien missed the game due to injuries.

Last Thursday’s game against Racine Horlick was canceled due to rain. The Hawks host Whitefish Bay at 7 p.m. Thursday and play at Hartford on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

Port is on both sides of shutouts

Port Washington was shorthanded at its home tournament last weekend due to injuries, illness and the ACT, but the Pirates managed to get a split.

“Guys stepped up and were playing different positions,” coach Sean O’Brien said.

The Pirates on Friday lost to Platteville/Lancaster, 3-0, before bouncing back with a 5-0 win over Luxembourg-Casco on Saturday.

Charlie Neitzke and Evan Huber each scored twice, and Tanner Bares netted his first goal. Scores, O’Brien said, came from individual efforts, weird bounces and ball deflections.

Goalkeeper Jack Schanen wasn’t tested much.

“I think our defense did a good job. They’ve really been beat up and had to put in a lot of minutes,” O’Brien said.

Port lost at NSC foe Slinger, 2-0, on Sept. 10. O’Brien praised the play of Netizke, Thomas Garant, Carson Roller and Sean Bongiorno.

Port plays at West Bend West on Thursday and hosts Cedarburg on Tuesday, Sept. 24.