Staff
Time marches on for the Muskie boys’ soccer dynasty while the Muskie girls’ title streak had its time run out due partly to an official case of bad timing.
The boys’ squad jumped out to a 3-0 lead by halftime en route to a 4-0 win over the Dryden Eagles yesterday in Kenora to capture its seventh-straight NorWOSSA championship.
In what has become a rite of spring since 2011, the black-and-gold once again will head to the OFSAA ‘AA’ boys’ championship, this time to be held June 1-3 in North Bay.
Having earned a bye to the NorWOSSA final due to their first-place finish with a 6-0 regular-season record, the Muskies completed their undefeated league campaign in efficient style.
Aaron Bujold scored just 90 seconds into the game, with Liam Metke and Christian Audette adding markers before halftime.
Cam Lidkea iced the cake midway through the second half while Cole Kowalski barely was tested as he recorded the shutout.
The Muskie girls, aiming for their fourth-straight NorWOSSA crown–were edged 2-1 by Dryden in the final that came with a healthy dose of controversy.
Alina Eldridge had Fort High ahead 1-0 on a first-half penalty kick after a Dryden player put her hand on the ball in the Eagles’ 18-yard box.
But the referee was under the mistaken impression that each half was supposed to be 45 minutes long, as opposed to 40.
That mistake burned the Muskies as four minutes into the wrongly-given extra time, Dryden’s Tori Kelly ripped a drive from the top right of the 18-yard box past keeper Carmen Godin.
Dryden then pushed the pace in the second half and netted the game-winner 20 minutes in when Payton Boyko got a step on Muskie defender Simone Payne and rifled a shot beyond the kick save attempt by Godin.
Fort High had its chances in the game for more goals, with Jess Steele hitting the post in the first half.
Janissa Judson did the same with less than five minutes left in regulation time after a terrific cross by Maggie Jean.
Dryden now advances to the OFSAA ‘AA’ girls’ tournament, also set for North Bay next week.
Judson had the only goal of the game with a first-half conversion of a terrific cross by Taylor Croswell to give the Muskies a 1-0 win over the host Broncos in the semi-final earlier yesterday.
Godin earned the shutout.
