KNIGHTS GET PAST BISHOP FOLEY, 4-0
MADISONHEIGHTS » The Royal Oak Shrine Knights started fast in each half, defeating rival Madison Heights Bishop Foley 4- 0 and completing an undefeated regular season in the CHSL Intersectional 2.
The Knights scored less than a minute into the game when Jalen Ramirez buried a shot from the right win for a quick 1- 0 Shrine lead. The Knights would pepper the Bishop Foley’s net with shots in the first five minutes, but getting four quick shots on frame, but Royal Oak Shrine could only find the one goal.
After that, Bishop Foley would settle in a bit. Led by the efforts of Greg Cothron, Nicholas Matz, and Michael Drozdowicz, the Ventures would play solidly defensively the rest of the half, while sneaking forward for the occasional scoring opportunity.
But the Knights would start fast again the second half, and this time they couldn’t seem to miss. Royal Oak Shrine scored three goals in the first six minutes of the second half — one by Brennan Cannaday and then a pair from Andrew Imai that were just 20 seconds apart — to break open the game and turn a tight affair into a comfortable Shrine lead.
“We said at halftime, the first ten minutes let’s get a couple goals and put it out of reach, and the boys did a good job of doing that,” Shrine head coach Mark Soma said.
“To give up a goal in the first minute 50 seconds of the first half and the first minute and a half of the second half is unacceptable,” Bishop Foley head coach Nino Maniaci said. “I only have three seniors. We’re a young squad, but they have to find out really quick that you have to play a full 80 (minutes) in high school varsity soccer.”
With the win, Shrine finishes the regular season 7- 0- 3 overall and a perfect 6- 0 in their division. The Knights now advance to the Catholic League Championships on Wednesday where they will face either Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett or Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard. This is the Knights fourth trip to the final in the last five years, including a loss to Liggett in last year’s final and a win the previous year over Riverview Gabriel Richard.
“We talked a couple of weeks ago about short term goals, and we’ve accomplished all of our immediate short term goals — sectionals, undefeated in the league, we’ve got a bye in district, and we won a couple games last week.” Soma said. “We’re playing really well,” he added.
Bishop Foley falls to 4- 8 overall and 3- 3 in the CHSL Intersectional 2.
“To give up a goal in the first minute fifty seconds of the first half and the first minute and a half of the second half is unacceptable,” Bishop Foley head coach Nino Maniaci said. “I only have three seniors. We’re a young squad, but they have to find out really quick that you have to play a full 80 (minutes) in high school varsity soccer.” He added that, “We’ll get back to it and hopefully have better results later in the week.”
The Ventures have a few non-league games left to get ready for playoffs starting with a home match against the Romeo Summit Homeschoolers on Thursday.