Shepherd opens postseason with shutout
Shepherd scores, opens postseason with shutout win
Dave Acles wasn’t sure what to expect in 2020.
One year removed from the best season in programhistory - a season where Shepherd soccer went 12-2-2 — Acles knew he’d have a completely new team in 2020 after graduating nine seniors and six starters.
Thenwith the virus pandemic wreaking havoc on the 2020 fall season in that it was scheduled to play out as planned before being postponed before being reinstated, well it’s been a tough year to get a gauge on anything, including the team you coach.
Well, it’s now safe to say, that the Blue Jay soccer program has exceeded Acles’ expecta
tions and pretty much everyone else’s so far in 2020.
After going 8-2-2 in the regular season the Jays opened postseason play Wednesday at the Division 3 district hosted by Midland Bullock Creek. And in its usual form second-seeded Shepherd was great as it routed Chesaning 7- 0 to advance to next week’s district semifinal round.
“We had some doubt at the start of the season because of what we lost,” said Acles following Wednesday’s win. “This teamhas worked hard and we’re back at it, doing well.”
Inwednesday’s district quarterfinal the Jays completely dominated Chesaning, scoring four times in the first half before salting it away with three second-half goals.
Max Mcdonald opened the scoring at the 32:21 mark of the first half to make it 1- 0 before Zach Bendele delivered a beautiful goal via a header off a corner kick to make it 2- 0 six minutes later. Michael Brookens and Yuaxander Estrada then added in first-half goals to make it 4- 0 at the half. Fromthere Brookens recorded two second-half goals to finishwith the hat trickwhile Mcdonald added in another goal. Goalkeeper Layne Alexander turned aside one tough shot and got credit for the shut out in the net.
“It was a pretty good game, now we got about a week to work on things and really get wherewewant to be,” saidacles. “Our defense is looking really good, but our attack isn’twhere I want it to be, so we got some work to do.”
The Jays return to action Tuesday at 7 p.m. from Bullock Creek High School. They will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between Hemlock and Saginaw Swan Valley in a semifinal contest. Shepherd has never won a district semifinal in its program history.
Freeland is the top seed in the field, yet a team Shepherd beat 2- 0 during the regular season.
Thus, does thatmake the Jays the favorites?
Stay tuned.