Early goal helps Athens overtake OAA-Red lead from Adams
ALL TANGLED UP: Troy Athens' Leah Schmitz tries to take the ball away from Rochester Adams' Merlin Beckwith during Thursday's OAA Red Division clash. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
ROCHESTER HILLS — A year ago, Troy Athens lost its final league game of the season to Rochester, and with that defeat the OAA Red division girls soccer title went down the drain.
Rochester Adams ended up surpassing Athens in the final week to earn the title. This season the Red Hawks are making amends for that hiccup.
In a game that essentially decided the league title this season, third-ranked Athens defeated defending league champ and sixth-ranked Rochester Adams, 1-0, Thursday to move in the sole possession of first place in the 10-school division in an epic game that had a state tournament atmosphere.
Athens (12-1-0, 8-1-0) will play host to last place Royal Oak next Tuesday with the chance of sewing up the league title. The Red Hawks, who opened the season with a 3-0 setback to No. 2 Troy, have won 12 straight since that defeat.
“I think the game can be summed up with missed opportunities and key saves,” said veteran Athens coach Tim Storch. “Key saves by the goalkeepers, key saves by the backline. We had two point-blank (shots) that could have put the game away. You have to give (Adams goalkeeper Jessica) Wineke credit, she was in the right position and (Olivia Brannon) is beating herself up because she should had one there. They had some great chances, too, they buried one into Jenna O’Dell’s stomach.
“It’s hard to believe that (35) seconds after the opening kickoff, when we kind of walked through their defense, that that would prove to be the difference in the game,” added Storch. “There were 79 minutes and (25 seconds) to go. Both teams played very hard and showed why both teams are here (at the top of the standings).”
The Red Hawks did in fact score what proved to be the game’s only goal just 35 seconds into the contest. Catching the Highlanders’ defense napping, junior midfielder Natalie Sabourin broke free down the left side, before she sent a low cross from the corner into the goal mouth, where senior forward Maggie Leone, standing in traffic, tapped it home from six yards out.
Host Adams went on to outshoot Athens 13-9, including 7-6 with shots on frame, but could never net the equalizer. Both teams had several golden chances in the clash, attended by multiple college recruiters, but neither team could find the back of the net for the final 79 minutes.
Jenna O’Dell made seven saves for Athens, which has surrendered only eight goals all season, three in their season opener, and only five in the 12-game win streak.
TWO FIGHTING FOR ONE: Rochester Adams' Kylie Nylen (left) and Troy Athens' Marisa Kozikowski close in on the ball during Thursday's league showdown. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
The Red Hawks, a team dominated by standouts headed to play collegiate soccer, gained some inspired play from one of its defenders.
Senior marking back Megan Bart made two crucial plays down the stretch, when Adams made quite a push in the final 20 minutes. Twice Bart got her foot on shots headed for the Athens goal, preserving the Red Hawks’ win that vaulted them to the top of the standings, including one where O’Dell misplayed a loose ball in the corner of the box and Adams’ Merlin Beckwith fired a shot towards the goal only to be denied by Bart.
“Jenna O’Dell played very well, but that was one play where she knew she was going to get the contact and sometimes you don’t gather the ball cleanly. It just skidded off her a little bit,” said Storch. “Megan Bart is one of my fastest players and we train them as defenders, that their job is to get to the end line. If there’s any type of loose ball, it’s their job to clear it away.”
Wineke finished five saves for Adams (13-2-2, 7-1-1), which can clinch the runner-up spot in the final standings with a win over North Farmington next week.
Adams coach Aaron Donaghy knew that this had the makings of a state tournament game and was not disappoint in his team’s effort.
“We knew they were going to come out on fire because this game was for the league (title),” said Donaghy. “They caught us on our heels with that goal. I’m not mad at (my team) though. They gave Athens everything they had.”
The two teams could face each other a second time, if both squads advance to the regional finals in one month.
“We can’t look that far ahead. We have to worry about what we have coming up,” said Storch. “We play (Birmingham Marian on Saturday, and then we have Royal Oak next week. We will drill it into their heads about what happened to us last year, losing our last league game. I think we understand that we haven’t won the league yet.”
PUSH AND PULL: Rochester Adams' Merlin Beckwith and Troy Athens' Olivia Brannon both use their bodies to gain an advantage for the ball during Athens' 1-0 victory Thursday. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
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Category: High School, Rochester Adams, Troy Athens
