Weiser varsity soccer battles Ontario to 1-1 tie

For the first game of the fall season, the Weiser boys soccer team showed what a summer of hard work and determination can accomplish.  
 While the score of Thursday’s game against Ontario was a tie of 1-1, the way the team played together showed what the season could look like for the boys.
 At 15 minutes into the first half, senior Bryce Bake set up junior Chris Cornejo for a shot that went past the Ontario keeper. Weiser kept up the aggressive play and took several more tries at the Ontario goal.
 In the last minutes of the first half, it looked like Cornejo might get another point on the board, but the Tiger goalie was able to deflect the ball out of the net with the tip of his shoe.
 Ontario tried to score several times, but between Weiser’s defensive players and junior goalie Gabe Rasmussen, nothing got through during the first half.
 The Tigers battled back the second half. Ontario’s Erick Lopez was able to get a shot past defenders that hit the top bar and bounced into the Wolverine goal, bringing the score to a 1-1 draw at the 15 minute mark.
 Play got intense, as both teams tried to break the tie. Several times it looked like Weiser might make another goal, but nothing quite made it past Ontario’s defenses.
 Coach Kathy Bokides is pleased with the team and how they performed in their season opening. The teamwork and comradery between the players was evident when the team did their cooldown run at the end of the game. With linked arms, they ran across the field to the cheers of their fans.
 “They kind of picked up where they left off last season,” Bokides said of how cohesively the boys played. “It was a good game.”
 Tension ran high on the field during the second half, as two scuffles almost happened between players on the field.
 “Our boys play a clean game, but yet when needed, they bodied back,” Bokides stated. “Our captains and the whole team did a really good job holding their heads. Not just the captains, but our leaders, stepped in and told them to knock it off. I’m proud of them.”
 Bokides felt that the team really showed some strength in the areas of passing, and a hunger for the ball.
 “I think they are more focused this year. They’ve matured, and they saw what it takes to always be on your toes, never let down, keep moving, work as a team. They did it all,” she said.
 Some of the team was able to make the Meridian Invitational this summer, and Bokides believes that the competition there really got the boys attention on what they need to work on to be on top this season.
 In preparation for the first SRV game, practice will be time to work on fine-tuning and keeping them focused on passing, corner kicks, chest traps, and defense.
 “If I can get them to do those chest traps, win the ball out of the air and get it under control, I think that will be really helpful too,” said Bokides.
 During the summer, the team spent a lot of time focusing on fundamentals, which Bokides believes paid off.
 “We were happy with our outcome. We of course would have liked to have won, but Ontario is always a tough competitor.”