There is a reason Junction City is a two time defending state champion. Sweet Home found out why as they suffered an 8-1 loss to the Tigers last Tuesday.
But they put that behind them to play an outstanding game against Cascade on Thursday, tying the Cougars 1-1.
Junction City jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, which destroyed the confidence of the Huskies immediately according to senior defender, Jonathan Wilson.
“It made it hard to want to keep on playing,” said Wilson.
But it is these types of teams that assistant coach, Karl Schmidtman, feels the Huskies need to play in order to learn what kind of skills they will have to have to get Sweet Home’s program to that level in two or three years.
“If they can see that and compete against that, then they know where we want them to be,” said Schmidtman.
Ben Schmidt, the designated penalty kicker for the Huskies, converted once more after teammate Ian Lynn was fouled for Sweet Home’s only score.
Chad Workman, the sweeper on the Huskies’ successful defensive unit, noted that the skills of the Tigers were obvious from the beginning.
“They pass so well that it is hard to get the ball away from them,” he stated. With Cascade’s more basic offense of passing ahead or in crossing patterns, Workman finds it is easier to read.
Plus they have worked hard communicating on the field as they work on attack and support with their unit.
Workman is enjoying the success the Huskies are having now, but knows the younger players have a chance to take the program up a level if they work hard on their skills and attend the team camps and play indoor soccer. Right now, he just sets an example with his work ethic.
“I try to work hard and the best I can at practice so that my skills are up to par with other teams,” said Workman.
That defensive unit, along with goalie Kellen Petersen, held down Cascade’s offense. The Huskies scored in the seventh minute of the game when Ian Lynn outmaneuvered the Cascade goalie for a breakaway goal. Since moving up to the striker position, Lynn has begun to score regularly, using his speed to outrun defenders on a ball passed out in front of him.
Cascade scored its only goal after a controversial call allowed Cascade a free kick that they executed flawlessly. To get to that point was where the controversy came in. Workman was called for a foul, but the whistle wasn’t blown until after play was allowed to continue and Cascade took a shot they missed.
Both teams had plenty of good scoring opportunities, but the defenses or goalies shut them down.
“It has been our story all year,” said Schmidtman, noting how many of the opponents goals this year have been made under rare circumstances, not against the Sweet Home defensive unit.
The Huskies have just one game this week, against Stayton last Monday. They play Marist at home this coming Monday.