Boys soccer kicks Grant Union around

Lucas Denzer controls the ball for Sisters.

After playing North Marion to a draw in the season opener, the Sisters boys soccer team continued to show mixed results -- first dominating Grant Union and then getting upended by Madras in the second week of action.

The Outlaws played ungracious host on Tuesday, September 10, kicking around the Prospectors from John Day. The Outlaws won in convincing fashion, 4-0.

Lucas Denzer got the scoring started with an unassisted goal. Rod Helwig, with an assist by Ford Bauer, gave Sisters a 2-0 halftime lead.

The two players exchanged the favor to open the scoring in the second half, as Helwig assisted Bauer on a goal to make it 3-0.

Near the end of the game, Helwig had a powerful shot on goal deflected by the Grant Union goalie, but Mike Wallis was there to finish off the scoring.

Coach Mark Keel called the game, "a good confidence builder. We had 31 shots on goal, compared to five for Grant Union."

Sisters then went to Madras and came out on the losing end, 6-2.

"It was a much closer game than the score indicated," said Coach Keel. "They're a good team, and they're well-coached."

Madras got on the scoreboard first on what the coach called "a fluke. It was a slow dribbler that rolled between the goalie's legs."

Rod Helwig tied it up by scoring on a direct free kick. "Rod bent it around a four-man wall about 18 yards out, and then past the goalie into the side of the net," said Keel. "It was a great shot."

Sisters went into the locker room with the game knotted at one apiece.

"It was a great half -- we dominated them, passed the ball well, and did a good job of communicating. We out-shot them in the first half.

"However, the second half was an entirely different game, like two different contests. They scored a goal in the opening minute, and never really looked back. They passed the ball, and played great defense. They took us out of our game."

After taking charge early in the second half, the White Buffaloes added to their lead, and it was 3-1.

Rod Helwig scored on a penalty kick to bring the Outlaws within 3-2.

"It was still a close game, but with about ten minutes left, they scored to make it 4-2, and it broke our spirit," Keel said. "They then scored two goals in a span of three minutes to account for the final score."

Keel acknowledged the play of Jeff Boswell and Morgan Mansker on defense.

"They played great," Keel said. "On offense, Rod Helwig is a standout. He scored two goals in each of the two games this week. Mike Wallis is starting to come into his own, and Nick Koch is playing phenomenally."