Soccer: Junior Varsity Chemics and Chargers battle to tie

by Cory Butzin

Rivalry games are so emotionally charged and intensely fought over that sometimes it’s a shame one team has to lose.

Fortunately that wasn’t the case Tuesday.

The Midland High junior varsity gold team hosted Midland Dow in a hotly contested match and fell behind in the first half before rallying to even the score and post a 1-1 tie Tuesday at Midland Community Stadium.

Momentum was the key in the first half as each team struggled to gain the upper hand. As the Chemics took control early and threatened deep in Charger territory, Dow responded and pushed right back at Midland.

That no quit attitude came in handy for the Chargers, and led to their only goal on the night.

With 16:41 remaining in the first half, Dow’s offense turned the ball over deep in Chemic territory. And when David Walters attempted to clear it, Michael Taylor jumped in front and successfully blocked the kick, sending it into a high arc over the head and past the outstretched arms of Chemic keeper Spencer Sandow to give Dow a 1-0 lead.

Midland fought back though, and a little over ten minutes later Cameron Werth fired a direct kick on the Charger net. The initial shot was blocked, but in the scrum that followed Jacob Ortega took control of the ball and buried it in the back of the net to knot it up at one apiece.

From there on out, it was a game of almost.

After coming out of the intermission, Dow took control and Alex Peterson drove hard on net and drilled a shot that got past Sandowand almost went in, but hit the crossbar and caromed away.

Ten minutes later, Ortega burst through the Charger defense on a short breakaway, but Dow netminder Joe Knoff turned him away, too, as both teams remained scoreless the rest of the way.

It was Midland’s first contest of the year, as their record stands at 0-0-1. They return to action Saturday September 6 when they travel to Grand Blanc to take on the Bobcats. Game time is 10 a.m.

Meanwhile, Dow’s record moves to 1-0-1. The Chargers play again Saturday September 13 in the Dow Invitational at H.H. Dow High. First games are scheduled for 11 a.m.

Photos by Cory Butzin