BOYS SOCCER: Melakuqi’s overtime game-winner sends Eisenhower past Stoney Creek
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROMEO — Scoring chances were at a premium Monday night
Gjon Melakuqi made sure he made the most of his opportunity.
The junior forward from Utica Eisenhower scored on a breakaway in overtime, as the Eagles defeated Rochester Stoney Creek, 1-0, in a Division 1 district semifinal at Romeo.
“It was off a steal. Their center back messed it up when he tried to pass it back to the goalie. I just stepped in and was ready for it,” smiled Melakuqi, who notched his team-leading ninth goal of the season. “I’ve been through those opportunities many times in my career. I knew if I stayed calm I could slot it away.”
Eisenhower (8-1-4) will face Clarkston at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Romeo for the district championship. But not before an intense, back-and-forth encounter with Stoney Creek.
Last year the Eagles ousted the Cougars in a pre-district, 1-0, in a game that reached a shootout. This time it nearly went that far until Melakuqi’s late heroics.
After a scoreless regulation, the Eagles finally broke the stalemate with 6:50 to go in the first overtime session.
Senior midfielder Alfonso Chiro started the play when he slotted a through ball during a time when the light drizzle was turning into a steady rain. The ball deflected off a Stoney Creek defender who was trying to tap the ball back towards his keeper, and a charging Melakuqi picked up the loose ball and beat Stoney Creek goalkeeper Tommy Kim on a breakaway from 15 yards out.
“Stoney Creek is a good team. They are well-coached and gave us quite a battle again. Obviously the weather had a major impact on both teams and we thought it might go to PKs again this year,” said Eisenhower coach Josh VanHouten. “We were able to catch that one break and Gjon scored on his chance, and Evan (DeJong) made a huge save in overtime right after that.”
Through 100 minutes of regulation and overtime play, both teams could only muster five quality scoring chances on frame. Melakuqi scored on his chance and the aforementioned DeJong made five saves, including stopping a breakaway with 3:59 to go in the first overtime.
“He’s done the for four years,” smiled VanHouten of DeJong, a college recruit. “He’s always making those types of saves. He’s one of the better keepers in the state. He came up big in overtime tonight. Evan is obviously one of our key cogs in the back and just his presence alone keeps us in a lot of games.”
Eisenhower outshot Stoney Creek 3-2 in the two full 10-minute overtime periods. DeJong made two saves in overtime for the Eagles, who captured their third straight shutout and fifth overall of the season.
“I thought we played hard the whole game. We just couldn’t score in this one like we did (in the district opener) against Rochester last week,” said Stoney Creek Coach Bryan Mittelstadt. “We scored a late goal in overtime in that one against Rochester to win. I thought we were better prepared this time if it went to a shootout again because we lost to Eisenhower in a shootout last year. It just wasn’t mean to be.”
Category: Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Most Recently Updated Stories, NOS reference, Prep Wraps, Rochester Stoney Creek, Soccer, Sport, Top Stories, Uncategorized
