Archive: News

Lansing vs. Moravia
The Bobcat Boy’s Soccer Express keeps rolling along, extending their record to 4-0 in beating Moravia High School by a 13-nill score last Thursday afternoon, in Moravia. Junior midfielder Ellington Hopkins found his scoring touch by notching his first 2 goals of the season and assisting on another; while senior Tri-Captain Sean Streb matched Hopkins’ game point total with 5 of his own. Although not finding the back of the net on the day, Junior midfielder WooJin Richardson displayed a high work rate throughout, launching 5 shots on frame in addition to several challenging crosses that created some outstanding scoring chances for his teammates.

Senior striker Andy Roth awaits a cross from a teammate as the Moravia keeper looks on during the Bobcats 13-0 victory last Thursday in Moravia.

Sophomore midfielder Benji Geisler and junior striker-midfielder Ethan Kutler continue to drive the high powered Lansing offense, each adding to their season scoring tallies with 3 goals apiece.  Junior striker Nathaniel McIntosh showed increased composure with his opportunities, scoring one goal and narrowly missing on another after creating space for himself and attacking the keeper with pace. Senior winger Taylor Schuster’s hard work was rewarded as he notched a goal in the first half, and junior midfielder Luke Mehringer scored his first career varsity goal to round out the Bobcat Scoring. Senior striker Andy Roth also displayed a high work rate during his minutes on the pitch, creating several good scoring chances for his team and pressuring the Moravia defense into several turnovers.

The Bobcat defense continues to mature, allowing only 1 Moravia shot to reach the Lansing box that senior keeper Benji Parkes had no trouble handling.  Junior centerback Spencer Warkentin, junior outside back Tim Arleo and sophomore outside back Jake Palladino continue to develop their chemistry, game management and decision making skills by holding Bobcat opponents to 5 total shots for the season. Overall, the Bobcats outshot Moravia 36-1, and had a decided advantage in strikes from the corner flag, 12-0. The result moves the boys’ season record to 4-0, and increases their goal differential to a plus 35, having not yet given up a single goal on the season.

Senior midfielder and tri-captain, Sean Streb handles the ball and avoids defensive pressure in the Moravia midfield during the Bobcats’ dominating victory.


Lansing vs. Marathon
On Friday of last week, the Lansing Boys’ soccer team hit the road for their first challenging road test of the young season to face an undefeated Marathon team looking to get a leg up on the Bobcats in Section 4 play. Despite being undermanned because of recent illness to 3 key players, the young Bobcats team overcame poor field conditions and inconsistent officiating to pull of a dramatic 1-0 victory over the more physical Olympians.

The Bobcats have been very successful this season using a very technical, ball control style of offense that distributes the ball all over the field, allowing them to diversify their attack, but versus the Olympians, this style of play was very difficult to execute. Due to recent flooding in Marathon, the playing surface was wet and very bumpy, preventing the Bobcats from using their team oriented passing attack with any effectiveness. Added to this challenge was Marathon’s preference to use an aerial attack, placing long balls into the offensive third of the field and chasing them down. The young Bobcats team had to adjust their style of play in order to be successful on this particular day, and they did just that.

Junior striker Ellington Hopkins prepares to make his game winning cross to Ethan Kutler in Lansing’s 1-0 road victory over Marathon on Friday, September 16th.

The first half found the Bobcats on their heels, fighting the more aggressive Marathons and their aerial attack and trying not to make mistakes in their defensive end. As Lansing began to find their way in the first half, they created a couple of outstanding scoring chances against the run of play. Junior striker Ethan Kutler found some space on the right side of the 18 yard box, and fired a low, hard shot onto frame the Marathon keeper deflected, leaving a loose ball in the 6 yard box that junior striker Nathaniel McIntosh ran onto shooting the ball just as 2 Marathon defenders tracked back to make a save. Moments later, sophomore midfielder Benji Geisler found himself alone on the left side of the box, rushing on net and firing a shot just high. Although the Bobcats had difficulty finding their rhythm offensively, the young defense was holding tight throughout the first half, leading to a half time score of 0-0.

The second half started rather precariously, with the Olympians coming out strong and exerting their style of play on the Bobcats, forcing them to dig deep and prevent Marathon from taking control of the game. As the game wore on, the back line of the Bobcat defense made up of juniors Spencer Warkentin and Timmy Arleo, sophomore Jacob Palladino, and senior keeper Benji Parkes grew increasingly confident, snuffing out wave after wave of attacks from the Marathon offense.  Tri-captain Parkes was outstanding between the pipes all day for the Lansing, only having to make 2 outstanding saves on the day, but controlling the airspace in his box without fear and snuffing out many dangerous Marathon scoring opportunities.

Senior goalkeeper Benji Parkes loads up for a punt downfield in Lansing’s 1-0 road victory over Marathon. Parkes had 2 saves to extend his scoreless streak to 5 games.
Twenty minutes into the second frame, a streaking Ellington Hopkins blew by his defensive mark, getting to the end line and calmly played a tight, square ball to an onrushing Ethan Kutler. Kutler calmly redirected the beautiful Hopkins cross into the back of the net to break the stalemate, and put the Bobcats up 1-0. From there, the Lansing team played solid team defense and possessed the ball long enough to prevent the Olympians from developing any momentum as they tried to find the equalizer.  Senior midfielder/striker Taylor Schuster worked particularly hard during the second half on the left side of the pitch, containing the predominantly right-sided Marathon attack, and was highly effective at thwarting their offensive flow.

For the game, the Bobcats outshot the Olympians 10-4, while the Bobcats were whistled for 9 fouls, to only 2 for the Olympians.  Keeper Benji Parkes had 2 saves on the way to his 5th shutout, and Kutler recorded his 9th goal for the season.  The win moves Lansing to 5-0 on the season, and keeps them undefeated as they move into rivalry week with matches versus Trumansburg on Monday, and Dryden on Friday.

Lansing vs. Trumansburg

After 3 successive road games capped off by a victory over a tough Marathon team last Friday, the Lansing boys’ soccer team returned to Sobus Field on a cool and windy Monday night to square off with cross-lake rivals, the Blue Raiders of Trumansburg.  On this night, the Bobcats were looking for a measure of revenge, having lost twice to the Blue Raiders last year, including the 1 game playoff loss that advanced Trumansburg to the IAC large school championship game.  Trumansburg came into the contest having lost to Marathon a week earlier, while Lansing took the pitch with a perfect 5-0 record, and having yet to be scored upon in the season. On this night, the Bobcats were not going to be denied, as they secured a solid 3-1 team victory in front of large crowd and listeners of ESPN Radio 1160, which broadcasted the game live.

Junior defender Timmy Arleo challenges for a ball in the air while sophomore Benji Geisler (#2), and junior Cobi Byrne watch.

For the second consecutive game, the Bobcats weren’t able to challenge their opponents with a full roster, as senior striker Taylor Schuster was unavailable, and several players were recovering from recent illness. Coach Adam Heck’s options grew even thinner 10 minutes into the game when junior center back Spencer Warkentin injured his knee attempting a hard slide tackle on an onrushing Ben Glassner of Trumansburg.  Unable to return, Coach Heck was forced to move sophomore midfielder Benji Geisler into the center defense position, and drop junior striker Ethan Kutler back into a central midfielder position, significantly altering his offensive game plan for the match. With his hand forced and his bench shortened, several players had to take on more responsibility with the Bobcat offense if they were going to succeed, and that they did. Senior midfielder Sean Streb, junior midfielders Cobi Byrne and WooJin Richardson, senior striker/midfielder Andrew Barber, and junior striker Ellington Hopkins all played long minutes and in varying positions, and each were instrumental in securing the Bobcats total team victory.

Junior midfielder WooJin Richardson eludes senior Justin Bozeman of Trumansburg High School and heads up field looking for an opening in the Blue Raider defense.

Midway through the first half, tri captain Streb played a beautiful through ball behind the defense of Trumansburg to a cutting Kutler, who took a couple of touches to his left and then buried a far post shot to put the Bobcats up 1-0. Despite several other chances, the Blue Raiders held the Bobcats off the board for the remainder of the half, and the 2 clubs headed to the end zones with a slim 1-0 Lansing advantage. Just 10 minutes into the 2nd half, junior defender Jake Palladino was called for a dubious foul in the Lansing box, sending Trumansburg senior defender Ben Glassner to the penalty spot.  Despite Coach Heck’s insistence that there was no clear scoring opportunity for the Trumansburg player, and that Palladino had cleanly won the ball cleanly, the match official awareded a penalty. Senior Captain Glassner was able to step up to the spot and drill the penalty to even things at 1 all. Having given up the first goal for the year, it was now time to see what the young Bobcats respond to adversity. Coach Heck, “Once they scored to tie the game, I knew that it was time to see what kind of mental strength this team had…and they should exactly what they had…in a hurry!”

Senior winger Troy Hradisky looks to play the ball through the Trumansburg defense during Lansing’s 3-1 victory on Monday night at Lansing’s Sobus Field.

Much to the delight of the home crowd, it only took 50 seconds to find out as Geisler lofted a beautiful, curling free kick from midfield into the Trumansburg box to find a waiting and unmarked Streb, who calmly headed the curling ball into the side netting for a 2-1 Lansing advantage. Stunned, the Blue Raiders seemed to lose their composure, and 30 seconds after the Streb goal, Cobi Byrne played a beautiful ball through and over the middle of the Trumansburg defense to a sprinting Ellington Hopkins. Even though he had sprained his ankle earlier, Hopkins easily outran the last Blue Raider defender, took a couple of touches to settle the ball and then calmly drilled a right footed shot that beat the keeper high, scraping the undersurface of the crossbar before finding the back of the net to make it 3-1 Bobcats.  From there, Lansing adjusted their defensive positioning and played safety defense for the remainder of the game, snuffing out any Trumansburg threat and only allowing 1 shot for the half.

For the game, Lansing outshot Trumansburg 10-6, had a 3 to 1 advantage in corner kicks, and were whistled for 15 fouls, to Trumansburg’s 6. Lansing keeper Benji Parkes had 4 saves for the night, and despite the PK awarded and the absence of Warkentin, the Lansing defense played well in holding Trumansburg scoreless in the run of play. The Lansing boys’ soccer team returns to the pitch this afternoon at Dryden High School for a 4:30 game against their long time rivals. NOTE, this reflects a schedule change, as the game is not at Lansing’s Sobus field as had been originally scheduled, but rather at Dryden.

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