ROCHESTER HILLS – Danny Wenz had a hat trick, and the Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest Crusaders started fast and rolled to a 7-1 win over the Auburn Hills Oakland Christian Lancers Monday evening in a game resumed from last week.
The game picked up with 31:50 remaining in the first half and the Crusaders already leading 1-0 on a goal from Tom Ennis. When play resumed, Lutheran Northwest received a penalty kick, which Wenz converted to make it 2-0.
Barely two minutes later, the Crusaders made it 3-0 when Luke Markseic played a ball over the top, and Cole Bieber finished the play off by ripping a shot from right to left that found the side netting.
“It’s always tough when to start a game down 1-0 and then start with a penalty kick, but I think regardless of that they were a stronger team,” Lancers head coach Patrick Reyes said.
Oakland Christian had some bright spots in the first half. The Lancers got on the board with about 26 minutes remaining in the first half when Asa Cengeri outraced the goalkeeper to a ball and stabbed it home with his foot to make it 3-1.
That was as close as the Lancers could get, however, as the Lutheran Northwest’s offense add three more by halftime to take a 6-1 lead at the break.
“When you have to resume a game, there’s always the question of how are you going to respond and how are they going to respond. Starting off with that penalty kick right from the start really set a good tone for our team, and it’s tough to come back and start the game down 2-0,” Crusaders head coach Steve Ferguson said.
Led by the play of midfielders Owen Murphy and Tommy Megie, along with center back Anthony Filipps, the Lancers were much better in the second half, but they were just too far behind to catch up. The only goal after halftime came on a spectacular 40-yard free kick from Wenz that clipped the underside of the crossbar on its way.
The Crusaders also got goals from Luke Markesic and Declan Greene as five different players scored for Lutheran Northwest who featured a balanced attack.
“We’ve really been focused on playing a team game and not just being a team like we’ve been in the past where we give the ball to one guy and watch him as he does his work,” Ferguson said. “You love to see where it’s not just one guy or two guys popping them in.”
With the win, Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest remains unbeaten at 7-0-4 overall and 3-0-1 in league play as they chase their first Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue title.
“Our last conference title in the MIAC was in 2010, and that was in the lower (Red) division. Before that, I think our last conference win was in the old Metro Conference in 1986 or something like that,” Ferguson said. “We’re just getting the guys moving forward and focusing on one game in front of us. That’s our goal for the day and then the next game and the next game.”
The Crusaders are back in action Tuesday when they host Bloomfield Hills Roeper in another divisional game.
The Lancers (3-6-4 overall, 2-2-1 MIAC Blue) also resume league play on Tuesday when they host Allen Park Inner City Baptist.
