Avondale strikes Oilers to advance to regional finals
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
FENTON — Time and time again it has been said that defense wins championships in sports. Auburn Hills Avondale is hoping to back that theory.
The unranked Yellowjackets moved into the Division 2 regional finals for the third time in school history Tuesday, topping Mt. Pleasant, 1-0, in a regional semifinal at Fenton.
Avondale hopes to rewrite the school history books with a win over fourth-ranked Lapeer East in Thursday’s 7 p.m. regional finals, also at Fenton. Avondale lost in the regional finals in 1999 and 2007.
The Yellowjackets’ girls team has also lost in the regional finals three times in the past 12 years.
“We’ll enjoy this tonight, then we’ll prepare for Lapeer East. They are a very good defensive team, very-organized and well-coached,” admitted 18th-year Avondale coach Dave Muczynski, whose team dropped from the top-10 in late September despite playing a difficult schedule. “I think that (Lapeer East coach) Chad (Kenny) is one of the best around. It seems like they have been here an awful lot lately.”
OVER THE TOP: Nathan Chapman and Auburn Hills Avondale advanced to the regional finals for the fourth time in school history with a 1-0 victory over Mt. Pleasant Tuesday. File Photo | Dan Stickradt.
Avondale, which improved to 15-5-2, outshot Mt. Pleasant 11-6. The Oilers, making their first appearance in the regionals since 2006, finishes the year 16-4-3.
Brad Perri’s goal with 7:24 left in the first half gave Avondale the only goal it needed, while sophomore Brad Richter made six saves for his sixth shutout of the season, the team’s ninth, which was aided by another sterling defensive effort.
“I thought Mt. Pleasant had four really good, quality chances. Ben Richter came up big on each of them,” praised Muczynski. “Our defense had been the story, though. They do not get much credit and I thought they were the big difference in the game. I thought Stuart Ross, Garrett Ritterhaus, Wes Russ and Patrick Ready played great. Other than the (Bloomfield Hills) Lahser game in the district finals, we haven’t given up another goal. They played great as a unit against Mt. Pleasant, and Ben Richter made the saves when we needed him to.”
There was a one-hour delay at halftime due to lightning.
“That may have (hurt) the momentum, but we played through it,” said Muczynski, whose team lost to East Lansing, 1-0, in a shootout in the 2007 regional finals. “Now we have to play a team that is ranked fourth in the state. It will be a good game. We’re looking forward to playing them.”
Avondale has outscored its opposition 8-2 in the postseason with three shutouts. The Yellowjackets defeated Lahser 3-2 in a shootout in last Saturday’s district finals.
Lapeer East advance with a 1-0 victory over Clio.
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Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps
