By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
A steady, unassuming player led a steady, unassuming Elkhorn Area High School boys soccer team this season.
Elks coach BZ Kayser announced midfielder Chandler Kayser is the Elks’ Most Valuable Player for the 2013 season.
“He’s just the ultimate team captain out there,” BZ Kayser said. “He plays defense, he passes, he plays both ends of the field – 18 to 18 and sideline and sideline.”
Forward Jeroham Duran earned Offensive Player of the Year Honors and midfielder Ryan Nelson earned Defensive Player of the Year Honors.
Midfielder Brad Baas earned Most Improved Player Honors.
Chandler Kayser earned First Team All-Southern Lakes Conference honors. Goalkeeper Riley Bruce earned All-SLC Honorable Mention honors.
Delavan-Darien’s Juan Rocha earned Player of the Year honors in the SLC.
Chandler Kayser and the Elks compiled a season worth remembering. The Elks won a share of the SLC title for the third season in a row. They won the conference tournament and finished second to Delavan-Darien in the final standings.
Last season, and in 2011, the Elks won both the regular season and conference tournament titles.
Elkhorn also won its third consecutive regional title. Elkhorn advanced to the sectional final and played Oregon for a berth in the WIAA Division 2 state tournament.
The Elks and Oregon played nil-nil through regulation and the first period of overtime. Late in the second overtime, with less than a minute to go before penalty kicks would decide the outcome, Oregon sent a corner kick into Elkhorn’s 18, which is the box in front of and to the side of the goal net.
An Elkhorn defender and an Oregon player went for the ball at the same time. They collided and their momentum carried them to the sidelines, according to BZ Kayser.
The assistant referee, about 30 feet from the play, called a foul and assessed a yellow card to the Elkhorn defender, saying he took down the Oregon player inside the 18. The corner referee, about 10 feet from the play, did not make the call.
As a result, Oregon was awarded a penalty kick, which is a free kick from 12 yards away from the net. Nick Steidemann scored for Oregon and, with the win, the Panthers advanced to the state tournament.
Oregon defeated Marshfield 4-1 in the semifinals before beating Cedarburg 4-3 on penalty kicks in the Division 2 title game.
“This team,” BZ Kayser said. “This team, of the four years I’ve coached (at Elkhorn), this team over-achieved. They played above and beyond their talent all year.”
BZ Kayser said he knew this season’s version of the Elks came motivated when they arrived on the first day of practice in the best shape of any squad in recent memory.
“If you’re not in shape in my system you’ll have a tough time getting playing time, no matter how talented you are” BZ Kayser said.
The Elks are losing seven seniors, six of whom started, including Duran and his team-leading 19 goals.
“The toughest thing to replace will be Jeroham,” BZ Kayser said. “That’s the toughest thing for us to replace, is our scoring.”
BZ Kayser said the 2013 Elks reached heights loftier than expected through hard work and focus, which are themes consistent to Elkhorn soccer.
“No one thought this group here would be 30 seconds away from going to a shoot-out to go to State,” Kayser said. “It’s a credit to the kids. They really worked their (butts) off in the off-season.”
