Kickers knock off mighty Comets in upset
By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The Elkhorn Area High School boys soccer team won its fourth consecutive Southern Lakes Conference Tournament Oct. 7 with a 1-0 victory over the Comets at Delavan-Darien High School.
The accomplishment is impressive on the surface, but becomes astounding with a little digging.
The Comets (17-2-2, 7-1) abused the SLC this season. Delavan-Darien won the regular season SLC title with a 7-0 record and outscored opponents 33-2.
The Comets beat the Elks 5-0 Sept. 11 in a SLC match at Delavan.
Delavan-Darien entered the game against the Elks ranked third in Division 3 in the latest Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association state poll.
Comets’ forward Juan Rocha leads the state in goals with 41 and points with 97. Delavan-Darien’s Tigrio Huerta is seventh in points with 70.
The Elks’ victory is rippling through the local soccer world. Elks’ coach BZ Kayser said opposing coaches are calling to ask how the Elks pulled off the win.
Kayser said forward Aaron Wales, one of their best players, played stopper and man-marked Rocha. Kayser said Wales learned from mistakes committed in the Elks’ previous match with the Comets.
“He shut him down,” Kayser said. “He had one shot the whole game. This kid (Rocha) is the leading scorer in the state.”
Midfielder Chandler Kayser played his position more defensively, in what BZ Kayser called a withdrawn midfield position. Phillip Meersman played sweeper. Kollin Baerward played as the Elks’ lone forward.
Chandler Kayser assisted on the Elks’ only goal when he stole the ball near the Elks’ 18-yard box, went the length of the field to the Comets’ 18-yard box and sent a crossing pass to Baerwald, who finished the play with a goal.
Baerwald scored with 25 minutes elapsed in the first half.
BZ Kasyer said Delavan-Darien out-possessed the Elks and estimated the Comets outshot Elkhorn, 15-5. The Elks did not attempt a shot on goal in the second half.
BZ Kayser said goalkeeper Alex Heath played well, and rebounded after allowing five goals in the first meeting between the two teams.
“Alex had a nice game, and I’m glad he did,” BZ Kayser said. “He kind of struggled when we played them last time, he was so nervous. It was the first time he played goalie in a really big game.”
Elkhorn closed its regular season Oct. 9 with a 6-0 non-conference victory at East Troy against the Trojans (3-15-1).
Chandler Kayser, Andrew Slack, Tyler Daehn, Cole Dellamaria and Baerwald scored for Elkhorn. East Troy also scored an own goal.
Elkhorn played Fort Atkinson (2-12-3) Tuesday at home in a WIAA Division 2 regional game. The Elks are attempting to win their fourth straight regional title. The Elks beat Fort 4-0 in a non-conference match Sept. 6 at home.
The Elks are seeded second in their regional bracket, and are part of the Wilmot Sectional Tournament. Fort is seeded seventh.
If the Elks won, they will play tonight against either third-seeded Stoughton (10-6-4) or sixth-seeded Westosha Central (3-13-5). Stoughton and Westosha played Tuesday at Westosha Central.
Elkhorn beat Westosha Central 3-0 Sept. 4 at home in SLC regular season play and did not face Stoughton in regular season competition.
