BOYS SOCCER: Rochester collects 12th shutout in rout of Waterford Mott; Stoney Creek rolls Kettering; Lake Orion blanks rival Oxford
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Over the past couple of years, Rochester had its fair share of struggles in the goalkeeping department.
That has changed this season.
Behind the much-improved play of Brad Carlson and Luke Kastran, the Falcons have posted their best record in a decade and are very much alive in the postseason.
Rochester moved to 11-3-5 on the season Monday at Rochester Stoney Creek, quickly dispatching Waterford Mott, 5-0, in a Division 1 pre-district.
It marked the 12th shutout of the season for Rochester, which has allowed only 15 goals in 19 games, good for a team goals-against-average of 0.79.
“They have worked so hard,” admitted Rochester coach Chris Purgatori of Carlson and Kastran. “Tonight we started Kastran, but both goalies have played better this season. I think they each have six shutouts.”
The Falcons will face Lake Orion, 5-0 winners over rival Oxford Monday, in the 5 p.m. district semifinals Wednesday at Rochester Adams.
Sophomore Grant Ellison had two goals with an assist and Demtri Pliakos added three assists for Rochester. Sid Osborne, Oliver Najar and Scott Mattox had single tallies for the Falcons.
“Our defense has been really steady all season,” noted Purgatori, who lost his top defensive player to a torn ACL before the season started and also lost a few other players to either injury or the Vardar Academy. “We haven’t given up many goals all season.”
Rochester, which cracked the Division 1 top-20 at one point this season, has the school’s highest number of shutouts in over a decade. The five-goal explosion was the highest single-game output this season by the Falcons’ offensive unit.
“We still have a chance,” said Purgatori, which defeated Lake Orion, 1-0, back in August in the OAA Red Division opener. “We’ll be ready.”
ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK 8, WATERFORD KETTERING 0: Eight different players scored and 12th-ranked Stoney Creek rolled past Kettering Monday in this Division 1 pre-district.
Stoney Creek will face Clarkston, 2-1 upset winners over fifth-ranked Rochester Adams, in the district semifinals Wednesday at Adams. Game time is 7 p.m.
LAKE ORION 5, OXFORD 0: Lake Orion scored two first-half goals and tacked on three more after halftime in this Division 1 pre-district win Monday over the Wildcats.
Dylan Strohschein scored two goals in the first half to set the tone for the Dragons, who will face Rochester in the 5 p.m district semifinals Wednesday at Rochester Adams.
Category: Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Lake Orion, Most Recently Updated Stories, NOS reference, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Stoney Creek, Soccer, Sport, Top Stories, Uncategorized
