Soccer team continues season on a high note

#9 Junior Grant Tar scores the tying goal vs. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard. Courtesy photo.

submitted by Scott Somerville

On Monday, Sept. 28 the high school boys’ varsity Soccer team hosted the Grass Lake Warriors for their seventh match of the fall season. On a cool evening with light rain, the Dutch jumped out to an early lead with a goal from senior captain Henry Wehrly from an assist by junior Max Edwards at the 8:30 mark.

The Warriors pressed back and converted a corner kick to knot the match at 1-1 at the 24 minute mark. Following the tying goal, Grass Lake continued to attack and almost netted two additional goals if not for near-heroic efforts by Manchester keeper junior Anthony Bargardi.

“Although I had some good saves, the game outcome would not have been possible without our incredible defense line,” said Bargardi. “Especially [junior] Nathan Booth who made several key stops when Grass Lake was attacking.”

With 11:00 left in the first half, senior captain Adam Pringle took a shot from the left side of the pitch that the Grass Lake goal-keeper deflected, but could not contain while sophomore Cody Smith took advantage of the loose ball and scored Manchester’s second goal, recording his first goal for the 2020 season.

“It was really satisfying to get a goal,” said Smith. “I was positioned near the back post when the
ball came loose and took the shot.”

Following halftime positional adjustments by the Manchester coaching staff, the Dutch squad
significantly improved their ball possession and defensive play in the second half. At the 57 min mark, Edwards played a good ball to Wehrly for the third goal of the match. The fourth and final goal for Manchester came with 25 seconds remaining in the match after Wehrly received a pass from center-back sophomore Jacob Morin at the midpoint of the pitch, blitzed through the Warriors defense, and netted his third goal of the match and his second hat-trick of the season. The final tally was 4-1 in favor of the Dutchmen.

On Thursday October 1, Manchester hosted the Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard Fighting Irish in a re-match of last year’s divisional final, where Gabriel Richard prevailed 2-0. Entering this year’s match, the Irish were 7-1 and ranked #9 in the State for division III teams according to MHSAA Michigan Power Rankings. Knowing the match would be tough, the Dutchman elevated their game and played, possibly, their best game of the season to date.

Manchester took the early lead off a Wehrly goal at the 7 minute mark with the assist by Pringle. For the remainder of the first half, the Dutch played patient and smart, and sophomores Luke Somerville and Smith were effective in defending the flank attack by the Irish. The Manchester defense unit of juniors Ashton Dalton, Booth and sophomore Morin kept the Irish neutralized from attacks through the center. Entering halftime, the Dutch maintained the 1-0 lead.

Gabriel Richard started the second half with intensity and within eight minutes, the Irish netted their first goal to tie the match 1-1. Much of the second half was closely contested until the 71st minute when the Irish scored their second goal to take a one goal-lead.

The Dutchmen pressed for the remaining time in the half and, with 3:30 left in the match, had a chance to neutralize the game with a corner kick. Wehrly took the corner kick with a very nice volley to the far post, where Pringle connected with a header back to the near post that enabled junior Grant Tar to collect the ball and finish for the tying goal. The match ended in a 2-2 draw.

This week, Manchester plays four games: 5:30 pm Tuesday home vs. Lenawee Christian,
5:30 pm Wednesday home vs. Bronson, 5 pm Thursday away vs. Jackson Christian, and 10 am
Saturday, away vs. Jonesville.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.