The Crookston Pirates boys‘ soccer team played a solid game, but couldn’t find the net as they lost to the Hibbing Bluejackets 1-0 in a physical game where the Pirates had four players leave the game due to injury.
FIRST HALF –
The first half was a good, even battle with Hibbing getting the first shot on goal less than a minute into the game. The teams countered with a few shots over the next eight minutes as they felt each other out. The last 31 minutes of the half had a little more action as each team would have stretches of getting shots on goal. Crookston got it going with 30:23 remaining in the half when Grant Funk had a beautiful pass to Gunnar Groven, who put a shot on goal, but the Hibbing keeper made the save. A little over two minutes later, Funk had another shot on goal from about 15 yards out, but the wind took it wide left of the net. A little over two minutes later, Carter Fee had a shot from about 20 yards out that went on goal, and the Hibbing keeper made the save.
Hibbing’s offense was able to counter a little over a minute later when they had a shot sail over the net.
Crookston came back down the field and got a pass to Funk, who fired a kick from 15 yards out onto the net, and the Hibbing keeper got his fingertips on the ball, but it went behind the keeper and slowly rolled towards the net, but just missed the left corner by inches and rolled out of bounds.
Halfway through the half, Hibbing had another shot on goal, but Crookston’s Reggie Winjum made the save. There weren’t any more scoring opportunities for the next seven minutes before a Hibbing kick went over the net. With 11 minutes left in the half, Hibbing had another shot on goal, but Winjum made an easy save.
Two minutes later, Crookston’s Fee had a shot on goal, but it was stopped. 22 seconds later, Crookston’s Nolan Cassavant had a shot on goal from 30 yards out, but it was saved. 31 seconds later, Funk kicked the ball up high and let the wind take it towards the net, but the wind was a little too strong and carried the ball over the net.
Hibbing had the last decent scoring opportunity of the half when they had a kick from 20 yards out and Winjum made a leaping save and the teams went into halfitme with a scoreless tie.
SECOND HALF –
Hibbing controlled play for the first five minutes of the second half and had a couple of shots on goal, but Winjum was able to make the stop on both. Crookston started to put some pressure on Hibbing’s defense over the next five minutes and had the ball in front of the net several times, but Hibbing was able to clear the ball both times before Crookston could get a shot on goal. SECOND HALF –
Crookston’s Groven went down with 30:41 left in the game with an apparent ankle injury, which caused a short stoppage as he needed to be helped off the field and was tended to by the Hibbing trainer. Crookston seemed to have some pressure before Hibbing stole the ball and moved up the field and had a shot on goal with 29 minutes remaining, but the defense did a good job of forcing the Bluejackets to attempt a kick from about 15 yards out and Winjum made the save.Hibbing controlled play for the first five minutes of the second half and had a couple of shots on goal, but Winjum was able to make the stop on both. Crookston started to put some pressure on Hibbing’s defense over the next five minutes and had the ball in front of the net several times, but Hibbing was able to clear the ball both times before Crookston could get a shot on goal. Hibbing finally got on the board when Braiden Elven was loose in front and kicked the ball out from about 15 yards out, and it went into the goal for a 1-0 Bluejacket lead, almost halfway through the half.
Each team had a shot on goal, and another Pirate was injured as the game started to get a little more physical in the final 20 minutes. Crookston was called for a yellow card with five minutes left in the game as things continued to get more physical with both teams playing harder in the final minutes. Hibbing had two shots on goal over the next four minutes and Crookston wasn’t able to get another shot on goal and Hibbing held on to win 1-0.
Hibbing finally got on the board when Braiden Elven was loose in front and kicked the ball out from about 15 yards out, and it went into the goal for a 1-0 Bluejacket lead, almost halfway through the half.
Each team had a shot on goal, and another Pirate was injured as the game started to get a little more physical in the final 20 minutes. Crookston was called for a yellow card with five minutes left in the game as things continued to get more physical with both teams playing harder in the final minutes. Hibbing had two shots on goal over the next four minutes, and Crookston wasn’t able to get another shot on goal, and Hibbing held on to win 1-0.
Crookston is now 1-7-2 on the year and will travel to East Grand Forks on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
Click below to listen to Coach Lon Boike’s postgame comments.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hibbing | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Scoring –
57:21 – Hibbing – Braiden Elven
| SAVES | Total |
| Reggie Winjum – Crox | 12 |
| Louis Skaja – Hibbing | 14 |
