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Eisenhower High School

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Eisenhower High School

Game Summaries & Headlines.

Game Summary

5.0 years ago @ 6:32AM

Boys Varsity Soccer vs. L'Anse Creuse HS School - North

Game Date
Oct 19, 2018
Score
EAGLES: 4
L'ANSE CREUSE HIGH SCHOOL - NORTH: 1

Eisenhower defeats L'Anse Creuse North to win district soccer championship

 

A battle of MAC division champions

Dom Nikaj scored two goals in the first half and Dante Lumetta and Noah Modena added one apiece in the second half Friday to lead Eisenhower to a 4-1 victory over L’Anse Creuse North in the championship game of the Division 1 district soccer tournament hosted by the Crusaders.

Nikaj scored in the 11th minute of the match, and the senior put Eisenhower ahead 2-0 in the 38th minute to set the table for the Eagles’ second district title in as many years.

“You could tell they had that determination in their eyes,” Eagle coach Josh VanHouten said of his players, including 13 seniors. “They were very focused in.”

The game started at 5:20 p.m., 50 minutes later than the scheduled kickoff, because the Eagles’ bus was delayed in traffic.

Both teams had opportunities to score as rain fell in the first half, but MAC Red Division champion Ike cashed in twice thanks to Nikaj, who had the Eagles' goal in their 1-0 district semifinal win over Romeo.

“Dom’s got that nose for the goal,” VanHouten said.

Both sides said the first goal was important.

“That’s all the momentum,” Eagle defender Ian Conkey said. “If you don’t get the first goal, it’s hard to come back, as was evident in this game.”

“Anytime a team gets that first goal early, it puts the other team on their heels,” LCN coach Elmir Sabanovic said. “We had chances, but when you’re down and you’ve got to chase and you bring numbers (forward on the field), you’re vulnerable.”

“Getting the first goal settled things down,” VanHouten said, “and the second one was even more important, because it kind of took the wind out of their sails just before halftime.”

Lumetta’s goal with 15:14 left in the second half gave Eisenhower (16-3-3) a 3-0 lead.

After L’Anse Creuse North senior Dylan Wismont converted a penalty kick with 11:42 to play, Modina’s goal with 3:14 to go closed the scoring.

Lumetta and Modena are seniors.

L’Anse Creuse North, the MAC White champion, was trying to win a district championship for the first time since 2012.

The Crusaders (13-5-3) endured multiple injuries during the season, but won their final three White games to capture the division championship, and they won twice in district play before meeting Eisenhower.

“It was a wild ride,” Sabanovic said. “We had some injury problems, but they stuck together and they somehow got it done.

“Credit Eisenhower. They’ve got a strong program year in and year out, but I’m proud of my boys. We showed tonight that we can play with schools like that.”

Eisenhower plays in the regional tournament hosted by Ford next week.

“I think it (winning a district) feels best the second time, proving to everyone what we can do,” Conkey said. “It’s a great experience.”

The Eagles play either Ford or Troy Athens at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Falcons meet Troy Athens in a district final Saturday morning.

“We have a lot of work to do in preparing for Tuesday,” VanHouten said.

 


https://eisenhowerathletics.org