Local Sports Journal
It was a battle from start to finish. Two teams that advanced to the state semifinals in their respective classes a year ago. And, two teams with high hopes for this season.
And wouldn’t you know it?
The host Oakridge Eagles and the Western Michigan Christian Warriors battled to a 2-2 tie in a game played on the turf at Oakridge High School. The game was originally scheduled for WMC, but this week’s wet weather prompted the move to the mud-free turf at Oakridge.
“This was a great game by two teams who when to their own divisional semifinal last year,” WMC coach David Hulings said. “We are both young and both have some good things going for us. Oakridge was a very good passing team on their artificial turf. They controlled most of the game with their passing. We were content to let them move the ball around and now allow penetration.”
The Lady Warriors, now 1-1-1 on the season, got on the board midway through the first half when Alexys Riksen fired a long shot that ricocheted off an Oakridge defender and past the keeper.
The Eagles tied it up with 2.9 seconds left in the half when a shot by Keyara Wiard deflected off a Warrior defender.
Junior Mykayla Denison took the ball far done the left side of the field, but lost it to an Oakridge defender. Denison battled the defender, won the ball back and blasted a shot past the keeper to put WMC up 2-1.
Less than two minutes later, Wiard put the ball in front of the WMC goal and Nicole Karel booted it past WMC keeper Lindsey Johnsn to tie the game at 2-all.
The Lady Warriors outshot the Eagles 11-10.
WMC is now 1-1-1.
