North Defeats Mukwonago - By Kim Deal

Cheese Athletics Staff
October 23, 2008
By: Kim Deal


Upset Special – North Defeats Mukwonago 2-0


When the Waukesha Northstars visited the Mukwonago Indians for a first round
match up in the first round of the WIAA tournament, it was supposed to be a blow
out. Mukwonago defeated North 5-2 during the regular season and have not lost to
North in over 8 years. Mukwonago had all the signs of a team looking to advance
more than a few rounds in the tournament with players such as midfielder Michael
Schlecht (#2), center defender Michael Pirlott (#12) and outside defender Noah
Bularz (#16). As it turns out only one of these players had anything but the worst
game of their high school career.

Mukwonago seemed to seal its fate by not even registering North as a worthy
opponent. As the players were being introduced each player tried to outdo the
other in their actions after their name was called. One player walked about five or
six steps instead of the normal one step, one turned around saluting the bench
rather than the fans, another player kissed his hands and gave the crowd a two
handed wave.

Once they finally took the field the seriousness did not seem to pick up. Maybe it
was in the 7th minute when Matt Rynders (#6) rocketed a ball off of the cross bar on
a beautifully played through ball from Paul Dynis (#10) that Mukwonago started
waking up. This could not have been the case since a nearly identical play was run
just three minutes later when Rynders was again left one on one with goal keeper
Connor Daugherty (#18) but this time finished far post in the 10th minute.
Mukwonago’s urgency seemed to raise with every passing play. They were starting
to out possess North, working for close and long range shots that all seemed to end
in Keil Shibilski’s (#0) hands.

As the half continued, Mukwonago displayed why they were a superior team,
despite not getting a goal to spring board them into the second half. Shot after shot
went wildly high or straight down the middle of the goal giving Shibilski easy save
after easy save.

When the half finally did come to a close everyone in the crowd seemed to have a
sense that it was only a matter of minutes before Mukwonago would come out and
bury the Northstars. The Indians ran out on the field like a team on a mission,
taking the ball down the field for an immediate shot that whistled just wide of the
post. Their pressure offense was quickly negated after Dynis collected the ensuing
goal kick finding Ryan Szecsy (#11) in a quick give and go, allowing Dynis to then
play the ball out to Michael Nestoras (#9) where he was promptly fouled before he
could get a cross off.

The direct kick was played across to the top of the 18 where it fell in the lap of a
Mukwonago defender who immediately attempted to clear the ball. After miss
hitting his first touch he lunged at the ball a second time striking it into North’s
Travis Kleven (#4). Miraculously the wildly played ball fell at Kleven’s feet where
he took one touch to goal firing a shot with more power than accuracy. Daugherty
made a very nice save but was unable to keep the ball in his grasp. As the ball
bounced Kleven jumped over the keeper in a five yard foot race with two
Mukwonago defenders where he knocked the ball into the wide open net in the 42nd
minute.

It was at this point that Mukwonago seemed truly concerned. They quickly grabbed
the ball out of their goal sprinting it up to midfield to start play as quickly as
possible. As play resumed the game swung back and forth in terms of possession,
giving both teams a few opportunities to score.

It wasn’t until the 58th minute that Mukwonago got its best chance. Bularz, one of
the only players to actually have a solid game, received an errant pass and quickly
advanced it down field. The North midfield stepped into his passing lanes but never
slowed down the ball carrier. Before North knew what hit him, Bularz was one on
one with right full back Luke Viall (#20). Bularz faked a cross from 18 yards out,
which Viall bought, and continued advancing the ball deep into the 18 yard area.
Once he reached the end line he promptly turned the ball inside looking for an onrunning
forward. As he looked he saw Austin Zimmerman (#19) flying in looking
for a ****. Bularz put the ball right where it needed to be but Zimmerman struck the
ball too hard knocking it 10 feet over the goal, despite being only 5 yards away.

After countless missed opportunities earlier in the match and the 58th minute
disaster that Mukwonago really started to press. Their once solid team, turned into
11 individuals trying to score two goals in one shot. Schlecht would get a steal
around midfield and look to take on three or four defenders, never once looking to
his teammates to help in the attack. It was to the point where North could double
team every ball carrier because they knew they did not need to guard the passing
lanes.

As the minutes continued to tick away, Mukwonago continued making desperate
attacks at the North goal only to be tackled well outside of shooting range. One of
the most surprising aspects to this game was how well North finished the remaining
20 minutes. They never panicked or resorted to simply clearing the ball, they
continued to look for their midfield to build attacks and to give themselves time by
switching fields on a continuous basis.

When the game finally ended, the Mukwonago players had a collective look of
disbelief on their faces. Mike Pirlott put his hands on his head a walked slowly over
to his bench, without shaking hands. He didn’t do this as an act of defiance or
disrespect to the Northstars, he did it because he couldn’t believe his team had
played so poorly in such an important match.

Mukwonago season is clearly over but look for the Waukesha Northstars to be a
very difficult “out” in the WIAA tournament. They’re a team that can score goals in
bunches and if you catch them on a good day; they can defend just as well. Their
Saturday matchup is against Madison Lafeyette.

north beat mukwanago in 2004 on senior night.

of course of courseeeeee

Demers wrote:north beat mukwanago in 2004 on senior night.

I blame me. I told her that when she was doing the initial report. Don't tell kim though, she holds me in such high regard.