All the Russ: Avondale midfielder scores game-winner to lift Yellowjackets into first state title game

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

AUBURN HILLS — As an outside midfielder, Skyler Russ’ job is not normally scoring high volumes of goals or scoring goal at all.

The junior midfielder goes about his business on the pitch, marking up other players while helping his team bring the ball in the attack, looking for crosses from the corner or to set teammates up with scoring chances.

While Russ may have scored the biggest goal in Auburn Hills Avondale’s boys soccer program history.

Russ cashed in from close range with 4:30 to play Wednesday, leading host Avondale to a 2-1, come-from-behind, victory over Bloomfield Hills Andover in a Division 2 state semifinal.

“Basically I saw the ball (come to me) and I shot it into the back of the net,” smiled Russ. “This feels great. I have never scored in a state semifinal before.

MEET YOU THERE: Auburn Hills Avondale's Joe Davison (left) and bBoomfield Hills Andover's Lawrence Varley converge on the ball during Wednesday's Division 2 state semifinasl. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“Basically that was our true team right there,” added Russ, talking about his team’s high pressure offense down the stretch. “We just kept pushing and pushing and we never gave up. It’s a team game and (we finished two chances) at the end.”

The Yellowjackets will play for their first state championship against second-ranked Spring Lake Saturday at a site and time to be determined. Both teams will be playing in their first state final, so there will be a new champion in Division 2.

It was a long time coming for Avondale, which first started its program in 1988. Dave Muczynski has been the head coach since 1994 and saw his team win its first semifinal game in its first Final Four appearance.

“We’ve been building towards this (for a long time),” smiled Muczynski. “I said at the beginning of the season that this was a team that could make a run. We’re not an impressive looking team physically. But we do is we get the job done. Andover is a great team and (Andover coach) Geoff (Parkinson) and (Aaron Seaton) are outstanding coaches. They were very organized against us. We knewwe would have to scrap something. But there goalie was out of his mind. He made some stops out there that kept them in the game.

“We new that we could get to the second half, we would get the wind (at our backs),” continued Muczynski. “I think Skyler Russ, an outside midfielder, went in there and scored a goal. I don’t know how many he has, not many. He went in there and knocked it in the goal — the unsung hero.”

The game didn’t come without some drama, as Avondale had to rally back from a deficit inside the game’s final 20 minutes. Down 1-0 at the half despite controlling play throughout the contest, Avondale continued to pressure Andover’s goal throughout the second half, where they held a 15-1 shots edge in the final 40 minutes.

The Yellowjackets finally netted the equalizer with 17:17 to play. Erik Koberstein’s cornerkick was served into the box with Garrett Ritterhaus flicking the ball over to Joe Davison, who cut to his right and fired a shot into the goal from eight yards in front of the net.

Avondale continued to pepper Andover goalkeeper Truman Lorick, who finished with nine saves, including three from point-blank range.Lorick was active on crosses and long throws ins but couldn’t slow down Avondale’s high-energy attack down the stretch.

AVOIDING DISASTER: Bloomfeidl Hills Andover goalkeeper Truman Lorick makes the diving save as Auburn Hills Avondale'sNathan chapman leaps over to avoid a collision during Wednesday's state semifinals. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

The Yellowjackets outshot the Barons 24-5 in the contest, including 11-3 with shots directly on goal, and even held a 12-5 edge on cornerkicks. Yet it was Andover that struck first on its first shot of the game.

Jacob Rosenzweig fed the ball from the sideline to Will Neef in the middle of the field, and Neef cut back and laced a shot from 19 yards out past an on-rushing Avondale goalkeeper Ben Richter with 29:38 to play in the first half.

The Barons (13-7-2) fell into a defensive shell the rest of the way and eventually found themselves in the path of a deadly tornado.

“They just come at you a million miles a minute,” said Andover coach Geoff Parkinson. “They got us back on our heels, gained some momentum There were times where we needed to get the momentum back, put some pressure (on them) and hold the ball longer.  We didn’t do it. We kept knocking it back to them. Playing long ball back and forth isn’t our game. It doesn’t suit us. We kind of got into playing their game, not ours. Obviously, they are better at playing their game than we are.”

MAKING THE TACKLE: Auburn Hills Avondale's Garrett Ritterhaus' slide tackle takes the ball away from Bloomfield Hills Andover's Matt Wyman. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

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Tags: Auburn Hills Avondale Boys Soccer, Bloomfield Hills Andover Boys Soccer, boys soccer, featured, high school boys soccer, MHSAA Division 2 Boys Soccer State Semifinals, Prep Boys Soccer, soccer

Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps