Comet Boys Outlast Crookston in Gutsy Win

Hillcrest Boys Soccer boarded the bus Thursday night with a few cards, some bumps and bruises, and a 4-3 win in a scrappy match against Crookston.

Crookston scored first, following off a Pirate corner kick. The curving kick slipped past Hillcrest Senior Goalkeeper Soren Floden in the near post.  The Pirates controlled the first half, pushing the Comets around and roughing up the Comets in the box. However, in the final minute, Comet Striker and Senior Captain Abram Ness showed needed dexterity to overcome Crookston’s aggressive play as he seared a left-foot blast from the top of the eighteen off an assist by Drew Fischer. Hillcrest entered the half tied.

The Comets were clearly tired of being pushed around on the pitch, and five minutes into the second half, Drew Fischer attacked the left goal line, placing a centering pass to David Sung, putting the Comets up one as they crowded the short box.  Six minutes later, David Sung nailed a high-arcing long throw-in from Senior Captain Mathew Knutson, putting the Comets up 2-1. 

With time waning in the contest, Crookston achieved an equalizing goal, converting a penalty kick after a Comet handball in the box.  But Hillcrest showed it wasn’t going down. Two minutes later, Abram Ness attacked the left goal line and centered the ball to Drew Fischer, who scored for the Comets.

With the final two minutes, Hillcrest and Crookston would trade goals, but the Comets came out on top. Hillcrest had eleven shots on goal compared to the Pirate’s 6.

“Although the Comet’s only showed up and played a half game, I am proud that they adjusted at half time and came out in the second half and played as a team and made corrections.  The goal with seconds left in the first half really took the wind out of the confident first-half Pirate’s sails,” Coach Rod Jensen noted as he summed up the game, taking his 3-1-1 Comets into a weekend game with the Fergus Falls Otters.