Having gone three games without a win between UPSL and WPASL, that's exactly what was needed and what we got on Sunday. Four unique goalscorers and a strong enough defensive performance delivered a positive result to keep us in the hunt for the WPASL trophy.
The game started rather cagey with each team understandably feeling each other out. Lobos were stretched from the start and played with only 11 available players. We opted to shift the ball and make them chase as much as possible.
Our first goal was a sublime team move that started in the back with GK Jon Mullally and ended with none other than David Ripplinger slotting it in. In between was where the magic happen. Mullally played his goal kick out to Luke Rosenberger who pushed it forward to Devan Barragan on the left wing. Devan played a one-two with midfielder Ben Zumwalt and then found Mason Sherman inside. Sherman shifted it to Zumwalt who passed it along to Evan Smith. Smith lifted his head and found Ripp streaking down the wing. He collected the pass, rounded the last defender, and put the ball in at the far post. 1-0, 21 minutes in.
The second goal only took 10 minutes more and was not half bad either. Some build up on the right hand side led to a switch over to the left. Forward Jake Engebritson cleared the way for Barragan to latch on and have a free run at goal. His first attempt was saved by the Lobos GK, but it was pushed back into the LB's path for the follow up strike that made it 2-0. That was the score at half time...
Our third goal was a moment of magic from forward John Wilke. He collected the ball about 25 yards out and unleased a rocket that smashed into the underside of the bar and in. Goal of the season? So far, absolutely. It was 3-0 on about 50 minutes and we were cruising.
Lobos got one back around the 63rd minute after their main man Abraham Camargo found a free run at goal and was able to slot past Mullally. The clean sheets will come. We answered almost immediately as Engebritson latched onto a Sherman through ball and took it first time with his left into the far side of the goal. That was the Rice Lake native's first game and first goal for the Boats.
We had a couple more quality changes, notably Ripp's free kick from about 25 yards out that hit the bar and went behind for a goal kick. He had one last attempt that was nowhere near the target. If there were goalposts behind the goal, and this was American football, he would've scored three points.
And speaking of three points, that's exactly what we took home with this big home win. Next Sunday sees us travel up to Rice Lake for an away game at Poskin Jets FC. That game is slated for 6 PM and will be played at Moon Lake Park.