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Chisago Lakes 2, Grand Rapids 1

The Wildcats took a 2-0 first half lead in their season opener, and then battled the wind, rain and an energized opponent in the second half before emerging with a 2-1 win.

The Wildcats scored early on an odd long-distance play. Zak Vrudny took a goal kick and launched it past midfield. The Thunderhawk goalkeeper came way out of the net to clear the ball, venturing several yards outside the penalty area. He mis-hit the clearing attempt, and the ball went right to Ben Stanghelle. Stanghelle trapped the ball, dribbled it past midfield and launched a 45-yard shot over the scrambling goalie's head and into the net to put the Wildcats up 1-0. Later in the half, the Wildcats went up 2-0 as Cameron Bouwens headed in a Stanghelle crossing pass.

Grand Rapids, a section opponent, came out firing after intermission and was rewarded with a goal just five minutes into the second half. A downpour started right after the Thunderhawks scored and lasted for several minutes. With the wind at their back on a sloppy field, Grand Rapids pressured the Wildcats relentlessly for most of the second half. But the Wildcats stabilized and re-took control of the game in the last en minutes, coming away with a 2-1 victory.

Chisago Lakes 2, Duluth Denfeld 1 (OT)

The Wildcats outplayed Duluth Denfeld as well, but needed an overtime goal from Cameron Bouwens to come away with a 2-1 win Saturday, August 16 at the Duluth Public Schools Field.

Manny Cruceru scored just eight minutes into the game, assisted by Bouwens. Later in the first half, a Wildcat player blocked the ball with his arm in the Wildcat penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick for Denfeld. They converted the kick, tying the game at one goal apiece.

The Wildcats dominated the game but failed to convert on a number of scoring chances. They finally broke through just one minute into the second five-minute overtime on Bouwens' breakaway goal, then hung on for the last four minutes to gain their second 2-1 win in a row over a section opponent.

Chisago Lakes 5, Minneapolis, 0

Sophomore goalkeeper Kyle Buchanan earned his first career shutout as the Chisago Lakes Wildcats exploded for four goals in the second half to pound Minneapolis Roosevelt 5-0 on a sunny afternoon Monday, August 25 at Ki Chi Saga Park.

Cameron Bouwens scored an early breakaway goal to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. The Wildcats dominated play in the first half, but missed a number of chances to increase their slim lead.

The Wildcat offense finally had its coming-out party in the second half. Manny Cruceru scored to

Put the Wildcats up 2-0. Bouwens got fouled breaking into the Roosevelt penalty area, and Zak Vrudny took the ensuing penalty kick. Vrudny's shot went past the goalie and just inside the post to increase the Wildcat lead to three goals. Mark Shaleen later took a pass deep in the Roosevelt zone and let go a right-footed shot that curled away from the goalie like a banana. The keeper dove for it, the ball went underneath him and inside the right post for Shaleen's first goal of the season. And Vrudny finished off the day's scoring with his second goal of the game on a free kick from five yards outside the penalty area. "Zak was surprised that the keeper left the whole side of the net open on the free kick," said Wildcat head coach Mark Leigh.

Leigh commented about his team's big opening weekend. "The bottom line is that we won all three games," he said. "But we had a lot of scoring chances that we didn't convert. In the overtime game against Denfeld, we went virtually an entire game's worth of playing time between goals. You can't dominate games like that and not score or eventually it will come back to haunt you. We have to find ways get the ball in the net and not waste scoring opportunities from missed shots or from being offsides so often."

The Wildcats built some camaraderie as they spent the weekend at Leigh's in-laws' lake cabin in the Duluth area. "The kids jet-skied, water-skied, played poker, watched movies, played soccer and basketball and generally had a good time," said Leigh. "I'd like to thank Mark and Tari Kari and Wes and Cheryl Herberg for providing meals, doing dishes and cleaning the cabin so it's presentable to my in-laws. I hope we get the chance to make a similar early-season trip to this area next year."

The Wildcats begin conference play tonight with a trip down County Road 14 (okay - actually, the detour for County Road 14) to play the Vikings at 5 p.m. at North Branch High School. The Wildcats face a Vikings team with new head coach Peter Grand, who also coaches the Viking girls' team. The Wildcats will head into the Labor Day weekend with another section game against Two Harbors at 1 p.m. tomorrow. Next Tuesday, September 2 they'll travel to Spring Lake Park to take on the Panthers in another conference matchup at 7 p.m.

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