Shoemaker’s goal helps Avondale slips past Brandon
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
AUBURN HILLS — Auburn Hills Avondale received a scare Tuesday two weeks before Halloween.
The Yellowjackets could only muster one goal and needed a diving save in the waning seconds from their goalkeeper to squeak past visiting Ortonville Brandon, 1-0, in a Division 2 pre-district victory.
Despite peppering Brandon’s net the whole game, Avondale could only collect one first-half goal. Mark Shoemaker scored the game-winner for Avondale, which advanced to Thursday’s 5 p.m. district semifinal at Bloomfield Hills Lahser, where the Yellowjackets will face Fenton.
Host Lahser and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s will play in the second semifinal at 7 p.m.
Shoemaker received a cross from Danny Swanson, who broke free down the right side and sent a cross back into the middle of the field to an awaiting Shoemaker.
“We were all over them. We (attempted) 24 shots in the game and only beat them 1-0,” said Avondale coach Dave Muczynski. “Their goalie did a fantastic job keeping them in the game.”
Avondale (13-5-2) outshot Brandon by a 24-8 margin, including 15-6 with shots on frame. Sophomore Ben Richter made six stops for the shutout for the Yellowjackets.
Ryan King stopped 14 of 15 shots for Brandon, keeping the Blackhawks (9-7-5) within striking range.
Brandon gave one desperate push during the final five minutes but Richter made a pair of late saves, including one inside the final 10 seconds left, to keep the game from going into overtime.
“It’s scary because they almost tied it up,” noted Muczynski. “Our goalie made a nice save with about eight seconds left. He came up big for us.
“Ben Richter has been doing a nice job for us,” added Muczynski, who pulled Richter up to the varsity in mid-September, “He’s made us a lot more competitive. I think he’s going to be a very good goalie. He’s very composed back there for a sophomore and he makes saves that some goalkeepers will not.”
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Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, High School, High School (M-Z), Ortonville Brandon, Prep Wraps
