Bruins offense comes to life

By news@inforum.com

October 11, 2007 at 11:00 PM

MANDAN, N.D. - A team with a strong defense, Fargo South showed it also has an explosive offense Thursday at Dacotah Centennial Park.

The Bruins scored four goals in the first 12 minutes against Jamestown en route to a 7-0 victory in pool play at the North Dakota state boys soccer tournament.

"We just worked as a team perfectly," South senior midfielder Ismir Pekmic said. "I just hope it brings some momentum to the next game."

Fargo North and Fargo Shanley both dropped one-goal decisions. West Region No. 1 seed Bismarck beat North 2-1 and Bismarck Century scored a 1-0 victory against the Deacons. Grand Forks Red River beat Minot 2-1.

Pool play continues at 9 a.m. today. Pool B undefeateds South and Century play at 9 a.m. today. Pool B unbeatens Bismarck and Red River play at 11 a.m.

Pekmic played a hand in three of South's first four scores against the Blue Jays. He scored two goals and added an assist.

East Region top seed South scored five goals in the first half, firing 11 shots on goal in the first 40 minutes.

The Bruins also added 11 shots on goal in the second half.

"We needed to come out fast and we needed to come out strong," South coach Dean Hashbarger said. "You just don't know what is going to happen in these types of games."

The Bruins had a strong showing from their more experienced players. South seniors scored six of the team's seven goals.

"Our seniors really showed the way," Hashbarger said. "Our seniors know what it's all about. They've been down this road before."

Century 1, Fargo Shanley 0,

The Patriots scored on an own goal in the 12th minute to earn the victory.

Century forward Alex Paulson fired a shot toward the next that deflected off a Shanley defender and into the goal.

The Deacons had two quality chances in the second half to net to equalizer. Lucas Fritz fired a shot from the top of the penalty area that sailed just right of the goal with 18 minutes, 40 seconds to play. Eight minutes later, Drew Glogoza had a shot from just in front of the goal go over the top of the goal.

"The chances were there," Shanley coach Michael Breker said. "Those balls haven't been with us the whole year. We played great, no question."

The Deacons play Jamestown and South today in pool play.

"We need to win the next two games and just hope things work out," Breker said.

Bismarck 2, Fargo North 1

Senior forward Zach Wehri scored in the 14th minute to give his team the early lead, but North couldn't generate another score from that point.

"We took ourselves out of the game after that," North coach Casey Tidd. "I was frustrated with the lack of chances."

Tidd said his team tried to execute longer passes after the strong start and that led to the Spartans losing their edge on offense.

Bismarck senior Ryan Malm scored the game-winner with 15 minutes, 14 seconds to play in the first half. Malm fought off a North defender before firing a shot past Spartans goalkeeper Garrett Nelson.

North plays Minot and Red River today to conclude pool play.

"We just have to keep playing our game," Tidd said. "Now we have to rely on some other teams."

Pool B

Fargo South 7, Jamestown 0

FIRST HALF: 1, FS, Laraway (Baskerville) 2:01. 2, FS, Richter (Pekmic, Schell) 2:15. 3, FS, Pekmic 6:05. 4, FS, Pekmic (Plambeck) 11:04. 5, FS, Plambeck (Freeman, Winkels) 24:42.

SECOND HALF: 6, FS, Conant (Winkels) 45:13. 7, FS, Baskerville (Laraway) 57:11.

SAVES: JHS, Boerger 6-9-15. FS, Silbernagel 1-x-1, Crawford 1-1-2.

Bismarck Century 1, Fargo Shanley 0

FIRST HALF: 1, BC, own goal 11:20.

SECOND HALF: no scoring.

SAVES: SH, Thomas 3-5-8. BC, Frenzel 6-1-7.

Pool A

Bismarck 2, Fargo North 1

FIRST HALF: 1, FN, Wehri (Gross) 3:50. 2, BHS, Fettig (Beattie) 13:13. 3, BHS, Malm (Ulness) 24:46.

SECOND HALF: no scoring.

SAVES: FN, Nelson 4-2-6. BHS, Kelley 3-3-6.

Grand Forks Red River 2, Minot 1