Brooklyn, MI. – The Napoleon Pirates boys soccer team picked up their first tie in a game against Brooklyn Columbia Central on Wednesday afternoon. It is a huge event because the Pirates are only in their second season of having a school soccer team. They are a young team but are getting better every game.
It had rained earlier throughout the day, and the field grass was a little high, but it didn’t slow the Pirates down at all. Columbia Central took a 1-0 lead, but the Pirates came right back with a solid hard kick by German exchange student Alex Grosse with a great assist by Junior Donovan Keinath. Columbia Central would score again to take a 2-1 lead at the half.
After the half, the Pirates came out strong as they kept the ball in the Columbia Central zone for most of the second half. Columbia Central had a few good opportunities, but Pirates Senior goalkeeper Jacsen Hodkinson stopped everything sent his way. For about two solid minutes, about halfway through the second half, the Pirates got a free kick and put tons of pressure on the Columbia Central defense.
But the Pirates’ heads-up play paid off as Grosse scored again off another Keinath assist to tie the game up. That’s where the game ended on a 2-2 tie, and the Pirates were very happy, as well as the fan base that came out to support them as they played a great game and are getting closer to their first-ever victory. Grosse finished with two goals, Donovan Keinath had two assists, and Hodkinson had 9 saves in the game. The Pirates will be taking on Parma Western tonight at Parma.
