Warren

De La Salle soccer team bests Cousino 5-0 in district quarterfinal

By Jason Carmel Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Warren De La Salle downed Warren Cousino 5-0 Oct. 15 in an MHSAA Division 1 soccer district quarterfinal.Pictured is De La Salle's Avery Eckert during a game against Brother Rice earlier this season. Warren De La Salle downed Warren Cousino 5-0 Oct. 15 in an MHSAA Division 1 soccer district quarterfinal.Pictured is De La Salle's Avery Eckert during a game against Brother Rice earlier this season.

WARREN — His team won its Division 1 Michigan High School Athletic Association state soccer district quarterfinal 5-0 over Warren Cousino Oct. 15 at Macomb community College, and Warren De La Salle coach Reid Friedrichs said his team must be more consistent over the course of a match if it hopes to have a deep playoff run.

"We scored our first goal a minute and a half in, then we relaxed because we thought we were going to get 30 breakaways," said Friedrichs, in his first year with the Pilots (10-1-10). "We were unorganized. We can't continue to play like that."

De La Salle will face Fraser in a district semifinal, set for 5 p.m. Oct. 17 at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley. The Ramblers beat Sterling Heights High 5-0 in their opening-round game.

The Pilots' first goal came at the 38:37 mark of the first half on a penalty shot by midfielder Steve Lockhart after a pushing violation was called.

De La Salle tallied two more first half goals — a point-blank shot by midfielder Romano Sbrocca with 20:42 remaining and a score with five seconds left in the half by forward Austin Willenbrock off of a rebound.

"It's tough to play from behind like that, especially when you get behind early," said Patriots coach Anthony Sorrentino, whose team ends the season with a record of 6-12-1. "We got a little deflated after that first score, but I'm happy with how the guys fought."

The Pilots would net two more goals in the second half. Defenseman Christopher Ruebelman dropped a shot in off a rebound with 26:13 to play to give De La Salle a 4-0 lead. Jacob Kowalski made it 5-0 Pilots when he scored with 1:45 left.

"We played much better in the second half," Friedrichs said. "The goal in the playoffs is to win, and that's what we did."

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jason Carmel Davis at jdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1107. Follow Jason Carmel on Twitter.