Late goal downs BHS
By Andy Davis - News Republic
In a game that featured two high powered offenses, the Baraboo High School boys soccer team scored first but Monroe stuck one more into the net in a 3-2 double-overtime loss Thursday night. A goal by Andrew Aurit in the 99th minute of the game broke a 2-2 tie and dropped the Thunderbirds to 1-2 on the new season. "They just kind of sent one over the top of the defense," Baraboo coach Greg Riddell said of the goal. "They'd been doing it all game long." The Cheesemakers' bread and butter was the deep ball, and they used their speed up front to put pressure on Thunderbirds goal keeper Andrew Ford and the BHS defense. The team's young defense held up well, but with Monroe's speed and aggressiveness, combined with rainy, wet conditions, sooner or later the Cheesemakers (2-2) were going to put one into the net. "We knew going in that their philosophy was to kick the ball up to their guys up front; they're very fast," Riddell said. "We had our defense just kind of sit back and watch and wait for their run." Baraboo drove in the game's first goal when James D'Amour scored off a rebound in front of the net. Monroe answered with two goals in the first half. The first came on a breakaway less than a minute after Baraboo took the lead. Aurit blazed down the middle of the field, forcing Ford to come out and challenge him. Aurit put a move on Ford, breaking to his own left, then made a sliding shot past a Baraboo defender to tie the game at 1-1. The Cheesemakers' second goal came indirectly off a long pass. This time, Louis Ayensu-Mensah managed to get back on defense in time to challenge the shot but ended up taking down a Monroe player from behind in the box. Ayensu-Mensah drew a yellow card on the play. The resulting penalty kick was deflected by Ford, but he couldn't control the rebound as Brandon Wilson put the ball in a virtually unguarded net. "You've got to shoot the ball. You're not going to score unless you shoot," Riddell said. "I think we did a good job of that. You just never know what's going to happen. "We knew with the weather conditions that it was anyone's game. It was just going to come down to who shot more and who got some lucky bounces here and there." After moving to the offensive end for the second half, Ayensu-Mensah tied the game for Baraboo on an assist from Tannor Henke in the 78th minute. Riddell said although his team gave up three goals in the contest, he was pleased with the defense's play and has seen a lot of improvement since the beginning of the season. The T-Birds face La Crosse Logan and Holmen in the Reedsburg Invite on Saturday. "Hopefully we can take this momentum into two win-able games this weekend," he said. The BHS JV team tied with Monroe, 1-1, on Thursday. Monroe 3, Baraboo 2 First half B — James D'Amour, 6th minute M — Andrew Aurit, 7th minute M — Brandon Wilson, 28th minute Second half B — Louis Ayensu-Mensah (Tannor Henke) 78th minute 2nd overtime M — Aurit, 99th minute Saves: Baraboo — Andrew Ford 12; Monroe — Dan Becker 10. Shots: Baraboo — 22; Monroe — 16.