By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The Elkhorn Area High School soccer team played through a bit of a rollercoaster ride last week.
In three games, the Elks outscored two of their opponents by a combined score of 14-1.
The marquee game last week for the Elks was a showdown with heated conference rival Delavan-Darien. The Elks and Comets played to a 0-0 tie Sept. 20 at Delavan in double overtime.
Despite the tie, Elks coach BZ Kayser said the result is pleasing.
“I’m very happy,” Kayser said. “We played hard. We really played hard. In fact after the game I thanked the kids for how hard we played.”
The Elks and Comets are tied for first atop the Southern Lakes Conference. Each team is 6-0 in SLC play.
Of the matchup, Kayser said both teams are fairly similar.
“We run basically the same system,” Kayser said of the Elks and Comets. “We both had some opportunities to score but no one could get any good shots on goal.
“We had some quality shots but we couldn’t put the ball in frame. Same with them.”
A potential rematch between the Elks and Comets looms large. In the SLC Tournament, which started Tuesday, Elkhorn played Waterford at home and Delavan-Darien played Lake Geneva Badger at home.
If both Elkhorn and Delavan-Darien won Tuesday, they play tonight at Elkhorn with a conference title on the line.
Elkhorn is the defending SLC champion and last season qualified for the WIAA Division 1 State Soccer Tournament. Each accomplishment represented a school first for the program.
Meanwhile, Kayser said he would work for much of this week to keep his team from overlooking Waterford in anticipation of a potential rematch with the Comets. The Wolverines are 4-3 in the SLC. Elkhorn defeated Waterford 6-2 Sept. 13 at Waterford.
Kayser said Waterford has some talented players who can score, and if they do, he wouldn’t be surprised if they pack it in defensively solely to keep the Elks from scoring.
In their two other games last week, Kayser said the Elks controlled the ball and played well.
As for the Elks’ other two games, a 10-1 win against the Broncos (0-7 SLC) and a 4-0 win over Shoreland Lutheran resulted in the 14-1 margin.
Kayser said the win over the Broncos allowed the Elks to end the game free of injury, and it allowed time to rest starters in anticipation for their game against the Comets.
Regarding Shoreland, Kayser said “They know us, we know them.” The two teams have played frequently in recent years.
Against the Pacers Brandon Riese, Jon Stopple, Peter Meylink and Erikas Jurevicius scored.
