By Jim Newell
Review Editor
ORION TWP. — The Lake Orion boys’ varsity soccer team played an intense back-and-forth game against the Oxford Wildcats on Thursday, tying 1-1.
Both teams had several scoring opportunities in the contest and played solid defense. While Lake Orion had more scoring opportunities, stellar play from Oxford goalie Jack Bracci kept the Wildcats in the game.
The Wildcats took play to the Dragons in the first 10 minutes of the game and threatened to score, but the Dragons’ defense held.
After the first 10 minutes, Lake Orion got into a solid rhythm and controlled the ball better for the remainder of the first half.
Oxford’s Drew Cady scored the Wildcats’ lone goal off a corner kick with 22:20 remaining in the first half. Cady crossed the ball in front of the Dragon goal and the ball went off the fingertips of Lake Orion’s goalie and into the back of the net.
With 1:37 left in the first half, Oxford’s Maxton Myrand got a yellow card after committing a foul in the penalty box and Lake Orion was awarded a penalty shot.
Bracci dove and stopped the penalty shot by Mihailo Janevski and the Oxford defense cleared the ball.
The first half ended with 1-0 lead for the Wildcats.
Less than three-and-a-half minutes into the second half, Lake Orion senior forward Jackson Dear tied the game, 1-1.
Lake Orion kept the pressure on the Wildcats throughout the rest of the second half but could not get past Bracci and the Oxford defense.
The Dragons’ best scoring chance came with 16:52 left in the game with a shot by a Dragon forward hit the goal post and ricocheted under Bracci across the front of the goal. The Lake Orion offense was not close enough to capitalize on the loose ball and the Oxford defense managed to clear the ball.
The game was marked by physical play from both teams, with both sides getting multiple yellow cards.
Lake Orion, which plays in the second tier Oakland Activities Association (OAA) White division, is now 6-8-4 overall after tying Oxford, according to results from the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).
The Dragons are second in the White at 2-0-2 behind Birmingham Groves, who Lake Orion tied, 1-1, on Aug. 30.
Oxford is in sixth place in the top-tier, eight team OAA Red division with an overall record of 6-5-3, 1-2-1 OAA Red.
Upcoming games
The Dragons were scheduled to play West Bloomfield (2-7-2 overall, 1-3-0 OAA White) on Tuesday after Review press time. The team will travel to Utica High School (5-2-4 overall) for a non-conference game at 10 a.m. Oct. 1
The Dragons travel to Birmingham Seaholm High School to play the Maples (7-1-3 overall, 4-1-1 OAA White) on Oct. 3 for a 7 p.m. game.
Lake Orion concludes its regular season at home against Notre Dame Prep (8-1-7 overall) at 7 p.m. Oct. 6.