MEDFORD BOYS SOCCER - Comets break through in second half to extend Medford’s struggles

MEDFORD BOYS SOCCER

The story didn’t change much for the Medford Raiders Tuesday from what the first half of the boys soccer season has featured.

Playing short-handed without some key starters out due to illness, the Raiders battled defensively, but lacking possession and scoring chances they didn’t have quite enough to defeat the Waupaca Comets, who left Raider Field as 2-0 victors in the non-conference contest, designated as Youth and Community Share Night.

This was the second of back-to-back game nights for the Raiders, who dropped a 3-1 decision at Mosinee Monday in the completion of a Great Northern Conference game that was suspended about 10 minutes in on Sept. 19.

Head coach Adam Derr said he was pleased with the effort, especially in the first half, but he thought fatigue set in during the second half and that’s when the Comets struck.

“It’s tough playing back-to-back games,” Derr said. “It’s also tough when you play 150 minutes of defense in two days. We have to find a way to maintain possession and get the ball on the other team’s half. We had a couple of chances, but a couple isn’t enough when you’re facing 24 shots.”

Senior goal keeper Cale Schulz was up to the task of facing those shots in the first half, stopping everything he saw whether it was high, low or he had to dive left or right.

Medford, playing without two of its top offensive threats in Dominic Fennell and Grant Neubauer, had two scoring chances in the scoreless first half. Michael Meyer’s shot on goal at 12:15 was snagged by Comet goalie Tristan Cuff. At 38:20, a long free kick from Nathan Schuld after a Waupaca foul gave Meyer a chance at a header. He made good contact, but Cuff got the save. Keagan Gehrke made a run at a rebound, but it was broken up at the last second.

It didn’t take long for Waupaca to get on the board after halftime. At 47:13, Kevin Hernandez emerged from a scrum on the left sideline with the ball and centered it to Liam Bloedow. He threaded a pass to his right to Lukas Soto, who fired from about 18 yards out and got the ball between Schulz and the right post.

The Raiders were unable to find a way to tie it off an Oliver Koffler direct kick from 37 yards out at the 65-minute mark. Waupaca put the game out of reach for Medford’s limited offense at 67:47 when Hernandez weaved through traffic along the left side, cut inside and set up Brody Woitczak with a centering pass that gave him an easy goal.

Medford’s best chance after that came at 77:25 when Koffler’s corner kick found Schuld, who headed a pass to Ethan Emmerich, who couldn’t quite find the inside of the right post.

The loss dropped the Raiders to 0-8-2, a spot they certainly didn’t expect to be in when the season began. They’ll keep fighting as they start round two of Great Northern Conference play today, Thursday, by hosting Northland Pines at 7 p.m. The Raiders will look for some revenge as well against Antigo, who is in town for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Tuesday. The Raiders go to league-leading Lakeland Oct. 10.

“When you have starters sick and guys injured and we’re playing short and playing 80 minutes of defense you’re going to get banged up even more,” Derr said. “It’s not been easy.”

Mosinee 3, Medford 1

Derr said there were some bright spots Monday, but Mosinee pounced on a couple of opportunities and finished off its 3-1 win over the Raiders, who finished the first round of GNC play at 0-4-1.

The Raiders started out already trailing 1-0 due to an own goal that was scored in the few minutes that were played Sept. 19. Mosinee tacked on another to go up 2-0 at halftime.

The Raiders got their big break early in the second half when Schuld’s perfect throw-in found a cutting Meyer and he bounced a shot past the Indian goal keeper to make it a 2-1 game. But Mosinee answered just a few minutes later and the Raiders were unable to cut into the twogoal deficit.

“Again, there’s flashes,” Derr said. “There’s moments here and there. We just have to tie them all together. Just like last season. I feel like we’re in every game. If we can get some possession, I think we can surprise some teams.

(Monday) night I thought we played better. We had tired legs (Tuesday).”