Cristobal’s game-winner sends Stevenson past Rochester

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

UTICA — Special players may not get many scoring opportunities throughout the flow of a game. When they do, they can often make a difference.

Jerome Cristobal is one of those type of players. He rose to the occasion Wednesday night to become huge a difference maker on the postseason stage.

Cristobal broke free in the second half and scored the game’s only goal in a 1-0 Division 1 district semifinal victory over injury-riddled Rochester at Utica Swinehart Stadium.

CLSOSING IN: Rochester's Spiro Pliakos (left) and Sterling Heights Stevenson,s Thomas Ahearn converge for the head during the first half of Wendesay's district semifinal.Staff Photo |Dan Stickradt

The Titans (10-3-4), state runners-up a year ago, advance to Saturday’s 12 noon district finals, also at Swinehart, where they will play Troy Athens, a 1-0 winner over Utica in Wednesday’s other district semifinal. Rochester finishes the season 6-9-5.

OVER THE TOP: Sterling Heights Stevenson's Endri Lulashi leaps over Rochester's Frank Wang during Wednesday's Division 1 district semifinal. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

Played under a driving rain and swirling wind, conditions around the state were not favorable for soccer. Yet Cristobal and his teammates persevered in the end.

Junior Spencer Steinwascher set up the Titans’ goal. He picked up a long pass 30 yards in front of the goal before laying the ball off to an onrushing Cristobal. The Mr. Soccer candidate slipped a low shot past Rochester goalkeeper Matt Hawes to the far post with 32:11 left to give his team a one-goal cushion that Stevenson would not relinquish.

“It came off a cross and Spencer Steinwascher got the ball and got the ball over to me,” explained Cristobal. “In these rainy conditions (there are only so many chances), so I asked him to leave it for me and I just put it in the back of the net.”

Rochester, which lost three starters to injuries in the contest and played the whole season with multiple starters in and out of the lineup, still had scoring chances. The Falcons had four cornerkicks in the game, three in the first 20 minutes, but failed to convert.

Rochester’s best chance came with 12:05 left in the contest when Sean O’Malley collected a rebound and his shot from10 yards out sailed inches wide of the right goal post.

Still, the Falcons committed the cardinal sin of leaving one of the state’s top players open for a few brief seconds.

“We closed about closing the gap quickly on him,” said Rochester coach Chris Purgatori. “I hate to have a (defensive) game plan for one person. Sometimes you just have to. Unfortunately they got the good bounce and we didn’t execute when we needed it. (Cristobal) made us pay.”

Stevenson, with a strong wind at its back, outshot Rochester 8-3 in the second half and 13-6 for the game. Sophomore Kenneth Kutschman picked up the shutout on two saves and was active on several cornerkicks and crosses throughout the contest.

It marked Stevenson’s first win over Rochester, but the Titans had not played the Falcons since the 2002 state semifinal, which Rochester won, 2-1.

Rochester's Thomas Forde (middle) and Spiro Pliakos (right) fight off Sterling Heights Steveson's Thomas Ahern for the ball during Wednesday's clash. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

Stevenson coach Bob Mondoux didn’t know much about Rochester, other than they had some common opponents. He did know he has one of the state’s elite stars on his side.

“Rain, sunshine, whatever, (Jerome’s) the mailman — he delivers,” said Mondoux, who saw Cristobal collect his 15^th goal of the season. “You don’t want to leave him open in the 18. He can finish.

“I knew Rochester lost to (Rochester) Stoney Creek twice (by one goal each), added Mondoux, whose team opened the tournament Monday with a 1-0 shutout of Stoney Creek. “It was a one-goal (game) and anything can happen, especially on a day like today. We just tried to focus in on what we’re doing. We tried to get as many shots as possible because the ball is going to skip.”

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Tags: boys soccer, Division 1 Boys Soccer District, featured, high school boys soccer, Prep Boys Soccer, Rochester Boys Soccer, soccer, Sterling Heights Stevenson Boys Soccer

Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps, Rochester