BOYS SOCCER: Oxford downs Grand Blanc, wins first district crown as D-1 school
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.Stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
LAPEER — Oxford’s magical season continues.
The unranked and unheralded Wildcats picked up one of its biggest wins in recent memory, topping state powerhouse Grand Blanc, 2-1, Saturday in the district finals at Lapeer High School.
The win marked Oxford’s first district title as a Division 1 school and first overall since winning a Division 2 district in 2008. The Wildcats bumped up to D-1 in 2009 and have failed to advance out of district play until now.
“We felt with returning the number of guys we had back that we over s to try to win league and district titles and now we have done that,” said John Thaler, Oxford 13th-year head coach. “Everything else from here on out is icing on the cake. We’ll see how we’ll do (in the regionals).”
Oxford, which boasts one of its best records in program history with an 18-1-2 mark — the Wildcats were 19-2-2 back in 2005 — travel to Utica High School’s Swinehart Stadium Wednesday night and will face neighboring Clarkston (11-6-5) at 8 p.m. in the regional semifinals.
Oxford’s Nick Wright scored in the 30th minute off a header following a long throw-in from Greg Knox into the penalty box that was flicked on by Devan DeJong.
Senior Emmanuel Ibarra gave Oxford a two-goal cushion with 25 minutes to play when he netted his area-leading 25th goal of the season off a slotted pass from Wright, who beat three defenders down the right side.
Grand Blanc, one of the state’s top all-time programs in Class A/Division 1, spoiled the shutout with 20 minutes to go when senior Garrett Miller rifled home a 40-yard free kick that eluded Oxford junior goalkeeper Conor Bandel.
Bandel and the Wildcats withstood Grand Blanc’s pressure down the stretch.
Since reaching the state finals in 2011, it marked the third straight season that Grand Blanc has lost in the district finals.
Oxford, the OAA Blue Division champion which already state-ranked Rochester Stoney Creek, the OAA Red Division champion, has been on a mission all season to try to prove that the wildcats belong.
“We beat Stoney Creek this year. That was a big win for us. So we don’t mind being underdogs,” said Thaler. “Grand Blanc has a great program. They beat us in the district finals (back in 2009). They are well-coached. This is one of our bigger wins in a long time.”
Oxford has played in the regional round several times since beginning its program back in 1984. The Wildcats’ longest run in the past decade was in 2005, when they fell in the D-2 regional finals to eventual state champion East Lansing.
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