West Bloomfield, Walled Lake

Walled Lake Northern outlasts West Bloomfield 2-1 in D-1 district semifinal

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Andrew Potter West Bloomfield forward Vikram Mathias scored once in the second half but the Lakers were eliminated from D-1 district play in a 2-1 setback to Walled Lake Northern. Photo by Andrew Potter West Bloomfield forward Vikram Mathias scored once in the second half but the Lakers were eliminated from D-1 district play in a 2-1 setback to Walled Lake Northern.

WEST BLOOMFIELD — One team had home-field advantage, the other had the wind at its back.

In the end, Mother Nature seemed to hand out the greatest assist.

“Playing with the wind in the first half, we knew we’d have to jump out and get a goal or two,” Walled Lake Northern soccer coach Chris Stevanovic said after his team’s Division 1 district semifinal against West Bloomfield High Oct. 17. “To get out to an early lead was huge.”

The Knights did just that, scoring twice in the first half roughly eight minutes apart and then holding on for a 2-1 victory.

“It was a nice cushion, one we needed,” Stevanovic said of the 2-0 lead at halftime. “That’s a good team, and we knew they would pressure us in the second half. We were fortunate to hang on.”

Junior Kyle Boulier scored both goals for Northern, the first roughly 10 minutes into play and the next about eight minutes later.

West Bloomfield got its lone goal roughly 10 minutes into the second half when junior Vikram Mathias found the back of the net.

The Lakers put a ton of pressure on as the game wore on, but were unable to find the equalizer. The best chance came on a corner kick with 2:49 remaining in regulation.

“We were under duress most of the first half, and they had the wind working for them,” Lakers coach Jason Clark said. “It was a tough battle. … In the end, I think it was a good, exciting game. We just couldn’t find that second goal.”

Northern, which improves to 11-7-2 with win, seeks its third district title in four years Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. against Walled Lake Central.

Central beat Waterford Mott 2-0 in the other semifinal.

West Bloomfield closes out 2012 with a 16-6-1 record and with its first Oakland Activities Association division title in 10 years. The Lakers won the Blue with a 10-1-0 mark.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1038. Follow Mike on Twitter.