Uncharted waters: Avondale sails into first Final Four

Uncharted waters: Avondale sails into first Final Four

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

FENTON — Danny Swanson had a chance to make history for Auburn Hills Avondale Thursday night. The senior midfielder delivered.

Swanson drilled a free kick with 14:42 to play in leading the Yellowjackets past previously unbeaten and fourth-ranked Lapeer East, 2-1, in the Division 2 boys soccer regional finals at Fenton High School.

The Yellowjackets, who have lost in the regional finals two other times since beginning their program in 1988, have entered unchartered territory. Avondale will host a state semifinal and play against the winner of Friday’s St. Clair Shores Lake Shore-Bloomfield Hills Andover regional final contest Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Swanson came through with perhaps the biggest goal to date for Avondale’s program. After teammate Nathan Chapman was tripped up 19 yards in front of the goal, Swanson bent in his ensuing free kick around the Eagles’ defensive wall and into the corner of the goal.

MEETING AT MIDFIELD: Auburn Hills Avondale's boys soccer team celebrated its first-ever regional championship Thursday with a 2-1 victory over previously-unbeaten Lapeer East. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

Swanson was nearly speechless while describing the game-winner.

“The best feeling ever,” he smiled. “The first regional championship. (Coach) Dave (Muczynski) has been to the regionals finals but has never won. For us to put it away and get him the first one is great.”

Muczynski took over the Avondale girls program in the spring of 1994 and the boys program that fall and has had several quality teams but playing in some touch districts and regionals over the years, had only a few opportunities to even play in the regional finals. This wass 18 seasons in the making.

“The joke is that we’re cursed and unlucky and that I’m unlucky,” laughed Muczynski. “From the beginning of the season, I’ve been joking that we’re lucky this year. We’ve caught some breaks. To have success in the tournament, you have to catch some breaks.”

After a scoreless first half, Avondale tallied on its eighth cornerkick of the game to take a 1-0 lead with 37:08 left in the contest. Junior Erik Koberstein served the ball into the box and senior Brad Perri flicked it over to junior Mark Shoemaker, who volleyed it home from five yards out.

Lapeer East (18-1-5) caught Avondale napping less than two minutes later. Senior Duncan Rowley slotted a ball from the touch line to the middle to a wide open Alex Podolski, who rifled a shot into the net from 25 yards out with 35:53 remaining.

The Eagles, who were trying to become the first flint-area team to make the Final Four two years in a row since the early 1990s, did not attempt a shot again until there was four minutes left in the game. The Yellowjackets outshot East 11-2 in the final 40 minutes.

Avondale outshot Lapeer East by an 18-7 margin in the game, including 10-4 with shots directly on frame, and even held a 10-3 advantage on cornerkicks.

HEADS UP PLAY: Auburn Hills Avondale's Erik Koberstein leaps past Lapeer East's Troy Willmer during the first half of Thursday's regional final. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“We gave them a great chance and that kid made a great shot. He put the ball where we couldn’t get to,” said Lapeer East coach Brad Kenny. “That was a high-level travel play that made a great play.”

Lapeer East goalkeeper Collin Owen, who entered the game with 17 shutouts on the year and 43 for his stellar career, kept the Eagles in the game with multiple saves and routinely coming off his line to play corners and long throws-ins.

“Avondale is a very dangerous team. They were very dangerous on the (set pieces) and that’s what led to their two goals,” added Kenney. “I thought Colin did a nice job playing off (the corners). He made some nice saves.”

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Tags: Auburn Hills Avondale Boys Soccer, boys soccer, featured, high school boys soccer, MHSAA Division 2 Regional, Prep Boys Soccer, soccer

Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, High School