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06/14/09 |
                            
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Utica Eisenhower The Lady Mustangs traveled to Troy Athens to battle Utica Eisenhower for the Division 1 State Title. PC knew they would be in for a challenge as Eisenhower played the Mustangs to a 1-1 tie earlier in the season. Central struck immediately as Sophomore Charlie Socia flicked a ball forward to a charging Paige Wester who streaked up the right side behind the defense and scored just 41 seconds into the match. The 1-0 lead didn't last long as Ike fired back a minute later on a break-away by Alyssa Tomassi. Although Senior Sam Bowditch saved the initial shot, the ball hit a recovering Mustang defender and rebounded into the goal for the 1-1 tie. PC nearly answered right back as Wester beat the defense up the right side and sent a cross into the box. Junior Lauren Brown's header attempt struck the crossbar and bounced down where the Ike keeper covered to protect the tie. Brown would strike minutes later as she broke through the Utica defense and drove a shot to the lower left corner off an Ike defender and into the goal for the 2-1 lead. The assist was to Freshman Taylore Peterson. While PC would continue to control play in the first half by outshooting Eisenhower 8-3, they were unable to extend the 2-1 lead which held at half. Ike came back with an increasing direct attack in the second half. The long ball tactics with their front line speed paid off early as a cross bounced off the hands of Bowditch and was finished tying the game at 2-2 just 2:30 into the half. The remainder of the half saw aggressive play with each side receive a warning, but Ike's direct style appeared to apply more pressure than Portage's possession game. The Lady Mustangs regained control late earning a flurry of corner kicks, but PC was unable to convert and the teams headed into "Sudden Victory" overtime. Just 39 seconds into the overtime, the Mustangs earned yet another corner, but this time they would convert. Peterson served a perfect ball which Senior Shannon Bennett headed over the outstretched arms of the Ike keeper for the 3-2 victory and Division 1 State Title. The Lady Mustangs and their fans charged the field in celebration of the programs first title since 2000 and their first ever Division 1 title. Congratulations to all the Mustangs and their fans, but especially our five Seniors who played their last game. Shannon Bennett, Sam Bowditch, Courtney Havens, Jamie Morton, and Caitlyn Weissert finished their Mustang careers with an overall record of 86-10-6, four conference titles, four district titles, three regions titles and one State Championship. Go Mustangs! 27
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Ann Arbor Jackson's Mehall Soccer field was the site for the match up between Portage Central and Ann Arbor Huron in one of the Division I State Semi-Final games of the evening. Troy and Utica Eisenhower would face each other on the other side of the bracket. The Mustangs "road to the state championship" gave them a rare opportunity, the ability to compete with the team they had lost to last year in the same round of tournament play. This year PC worked to create a different outcome. PC took charge and the Mustang forwards and midfielders moved the ball around and kept the pressure on the Huron defense while the River Rats played to counter. The Mustangs took 20 minutes to get on the board in the 1st half of action. Freshman Taylore Peterson dropped in a great ball to Sophomore Charlie Socia. Socia got by the River Rat defense and shot the ball past the keeper to put Central up 1-0. The Mustangs continued to create opportunities but fell short and were unable to add to the lead. In the first half PC was tagged with 7 fouls while AA Huron had 8. The halftime score Portage Central 1 - Ann Arbor Huron 0. While it seemed that the game could end without any additional scoring both teams came up with last minute goals. PC struck 1st in the 2nd half with under 4 minutes on the clock when Sophomore Paige Wester headed a shot off the crossbar, a Huron defender attempted to clear it and it ricocheted off Junior Jaime Morton only to find Socia in the right place again to get the goal for the Mustangs. Senior Keeper Sam Bowditch had a clean slate up until the last 2 minutes of the match but AA Huron Junior Meg Boyer slotted in a shot to put the River Rats on the board. Portage Central registered 15 shots with 9 on goal. The PC defense allowed AA Huron to take only 7 shots and placed 3 on goal. The final score in front of packed stands full of fans was Portage Central 2 - Ann Arbor Huron 1. Portage Central with a record of 26-0-2 will face Utica Eisenhower (18-2-1) in the Michigan State Division I State Finals on Saturday at Troy Athens soccer field at 4:30 PM. The Division III State Final will be held at the same venue with a 2:00 PM start time with East Grand Rapids (20-4) taking on Bloomfield Hills Marion (21-2-1). Please join the Mustangs fans at the game on Saturday! Thanks for supporting PC Soccer! 26
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Okemos Portage Central and Okemos faced off for the regional final Friday night at East Kentwood. With both teams ranked in the top ten in Division I Women's Soccer, each squad would need to bring their "A" game. PC and Okemos had met earlier in the season during the "3 for 1" and the result was a tie game. The Mustangs looked ready to play at the kick off as the PC forwards and the midfielders moved the ball around well. The Okemos defense held the Mustang scorers at bay until the 20th. Junior Shelby Humphries took the free kick to set up the PC goal. Sophomore Charlie Socia worked and got piece of the ball and slipped it inside the left post. The Portage Central defense kept Okemos from any connections on goal throughout the first half. At the end of the half, PC 1 - Okemos 0. The Mustangs looked to add to the lead as they mounted several offensive attacks but were denied. Okemos took their turn in effort to counter but again the Mustang defense held. Humphries took advantage of another free kick in the 70 minutes as she placed the ball into the Chieftains box, Junior Katie Hamilton pursued the free ball and knocked it into the back of the net. The 2-0 score would be the final. The defense and Senior Sam Bowditch recorded the shutout for Central. Okemos had 12 shots with 4 on goal while Portage had 14 shots with 7 on goal for the night. Congratulations to both Portage Central and Okemos on an outstanding game. PC will have a rematch of the State Semi-finals when they take on the Ann Arbor River Rats on Wednesday Night. 25
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Rockford The Mustangs traveled back up to East Kentwood Tuesday for the Regional Semi-Final game set against the Rockford Rams. PC took to the action quickly as the started off the game with several nice attacks. Sophomore Charlie Socia struck her first goal as the PC offense blitzed the Rockford goal, Senior Shannon Bennett took a hit that was knock down and Socia was able to scoop up and drill in the finish. Fortunately for Central she was not "finished" for the day. With nine minutes left in the 1st half, Socia score again as she took the pass from Sophomore Paige Wester to put PC up 2-0. PC carried the 2-0 score into the half. The Mustangs had 12 shots in the 1st half of play as 4 were placed on goal. Rockford got into the scoring action in the 2nd half when the Ram attacker got through and scored to make it 2-1. Again, Socia fired back when she notched her "hat-trick" four minutes later with the assist to Junior Shelby Humphries. The last goal on the evening was hammered in with 13 minutes left on the clock as the PC offense worked the ball around the Ram goal box as Junior Lauren Brown dropped the ball to Freshman Taylore Peterson who laid out the perfect ball to...Socia! Socia would record her 1st "hat trick plus one" for her high school career. The Mustang defense of Bennett, Humphries, Sophomores Lindsay Shafer and Meghan Sokolowski kept the pressure on the ball and limited the Rockford scoring chances. The Mustangs will take on Okemos (the Chiefs won 2-1 over Novi in the other region matchup) in the Region Final on Friday at 6:00 in East Kentwood. 24
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Portage Northern Portage Northern and Portage Central matched up for the District finals Saturday afternoon at the Huskies home field. The game would decide who would reign as District Champions. PC came out quickly and attacked with sharp passing and solid defensive play. The first goal strike of the game would tally for the Mustangs. In the 23rd minute Sophomore Charlie Socia scored off a great pass from Sophomore Paige Wester to put Central up 1-0. As PC continued to mount offensive attacks it would be Northern that would score next and evened up the score. With 5 minutes left in the 1st half, Freshman Casey Shauman gave the Huskies new life as she scored. PC heard the wake up call and Junior Jordan Wolf received a ball from Socia, Wolf dribble in the box and fired in goal #2 for PC. The halftime score PC 2 - PN 1. The Mustangs would play 13 minutes into the second half before they would add to the lead. This time the Wester/Socia duo switched roles and Wester scored from Socia's assist. The Huskies still determined to wear the crown struck the second Northern goal 5 minutes later, this time it was Sophomore Laura Glass that would add to the Huskie score. PC 3 - PN 2. Wester would lock up the game with 3 minutes left as she connected to earn her second goal. Socia would have her 3rd assist on the day as she aided in the Wester goal. The Mustangs took 23 shots and placed 8 on goal while the Huskies had 8 shots with 4 placed on goal. Thank to all the fans that came out and supported their team today in the "Battle of the Portage". Portage Central will face the Rockford Rams Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 at East Kentwood for the Regional Semi-Final game. 23
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Lowell The Mustangs will battle cross-town rival Portage Northern for the District Championship after both Portage teams downed their opponents in the District Semi-Final games held at Portage Northern on Wednesday night. PC took on the Red Arrows from Lowell for the 5:00 game. The Mustangs pressured the goal in the first half but Sophomore Paige Wester would have the only tally in the half. In the 18th minute, Wester dribbled the ball up field and drilled in a great shot to score the unassisted goal. The halftime score PC 1 - Lowell 0. After the downpour during the first half the skies cleared (rainbow and all) and the PC opportunities came with too. The Mustangs had earned several corner kicks and one started the next scoring drive. Freshman Taylore Peterson found the head of Senior Shannon Bennett 3 minutes into the half. Six minutes later Sophomore Lindsey Arnett switched the ball across the field to Junior Jordan Wolf. Wolf sent a scorcher into the net. The PC Mustangs registered 26 shots with 10 on frame for the day. The defensive squad assisted Senior Sam Bowditch to earn a shutout while Bowditch came up with nice saves for the team. The final score Portage Central 3 - Portage Northern 0. PC will face PN (the Huskies took down Forest Hills Central 3-2 in the 7:00 game) for the District final on Saturday at 1:00. 22
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East Kentwood Portage Central traveled to East Kentwood to face off with the Falcons in the first round of District play of the state tournament Tuesday night. The Mustangs got off to a sluggish start in the first half with the play going back and forth with an EK advantage. East Kentwood capitalized on a break away as Senior Keeper Sam Bowditch charged out to deny the Falcon shot but EK gathered the ball back up and scored in the last minute of the 1st half. Halftime score Portage Central 0 - East Kentwood 1. After a motivational halftime speech the Portage Central Mustangs came out on the attack and played better possession soccer. Sixteen minutes into the 2nd half, Sophomore Charlie Socia connected with Freshman Taylore Peterson off a corner kick. Peterson sent in a beautifully placed ball that Socia headed in by the keeper. The Mustangs put together several other scoring opportunities as they hit the crossbar and forced the EK keeper to make several nice saves but the match remained tied 1-1. PC continued to pressure the Kentwood goal and struck the game winner with under 7 minutes left. The goal was scored when Junior Shelby Humphries took the free kick and Junior Lauren Brown put her head on the ball and flicked it by the keeper. The Falcons refused to give up and turned on the pressure in the last minutes of the match. A Kentwood player attempted to put a goal in the back of the net but Bowditch came out strong with a big save to secure the win for Central. 21
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Battle Creek Lakeview Portage Central went into the SMAC conference championship game where they looked to pull of the trifecta and beat Battle Creek Lakeview for a third time during the season. The determined Mustangs went to work early in when Senior Shannon Bennett blasted in the headed goal off the corner kick of Freshman Taylore Peterson in the 6th minute of the game. Less than two minutes later Sophomore Paige Wester crossed the ball from the touch line, Junior Lauren Brown trapped it and Sophomore Lindsey Arnett drilled in the goal. Sophomore Meghan Sokolowski made good of another Peterson corner kick in the 19th minute to put PC up 3-0. The last Mustang goal before the end of the 1st half was struck by Senior Katelyn Weissert as she slide in the ball past the outstretched hands of the keeper. Senior Jaime Morton assisted Weissert's goal. The halftime score Portage Central 4 - Lakeview 0. In the second half Wester found Arnett when she crossed the ball into the box to give Arnett her second goal for the evening. Sophomore Charlie Socia would strike the last Mustang goal in the 56th minute with Arnett on the assist. The Portage Central defensive unit of Bennett, Sokolowski, Sophomores Lindsay Shafer and Colleen Unsworth, Juniors Shelby Humphries and Natalie Hall assisted in award Senior Samantha Bowditch the shutout. Congratulations to both teams! 20
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St. Joseph The Mustangs hosted a rematch with the St. Joseph Bears Monday night in the SMAC semi-finals. Portage Central scored 4 goals in the 1st half. Mustang goal scorers in the first 40 minutes were: Freshman Taylore Peterson (unassisted), Sophomore Paige Wester (2) and Senior Courtney Havens. Players that assisted those goals were: Wester, Junior Jordan Wolf, Senior Jaime Morton and Peterson. The Bears notched a goal in the first half as well with a halftime score PC 4 - St. Joseph 1. The Mustangs unloaded 6 additional goals before the end of regulation time while the Bears tallied another goal. PC scorers in the second half were: Sophomore Charlie Socia (3), Wester, Junior Lauren Brown and Havens. The assisted went to: Junior Shelby Humphries, Socia, Senior Katelyn Weissert (2) and Junior Katie Hamilton (2). The final score Portage Central 10 - St. Joseph 2. The Mustangs will face Battle Creek Lakeview for the SMAC title Wednesday night at Portage Central.
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Sturgis Portage Central (#1 seed) hosted Sturgis (#8 seed) for the 1st round of the SMAC Tournament rescheduled from Wednesday night to Thursday night. The Mustangs battled the speedy Trojans for the 1st goal of the match that was score in the 11th minute. Junior Lauren Brown put Central on the board when she shot and scored off a pass from Senior Katelyn Weissert. Weissert notched her 2nd assist less than a minute later as she fed Sophomore Paige Wester on the goal to put PC up 2-0. Sophomore Lindsey Arnett blasted in a drop pass from Senior Courtney Havens in the 20th. The Trojans countered and scored in the 35th minute of the match to make it 3-1, the score would hold through the 1st half with the advantage to the Mustangs. Two minutes in the second half Senior Shannon Bennett got into the offensive attack as she fired in the 4th PC goal with Arnett on the assist. As both teams continued to battle it was Central that came up with the last two goals within 2 minutes as the game clock ticked into the 75th and 76th minutes. The 5th goal came from Sophomore Meghan Sokolowski when she brought down the Trojan goal kick, dribbled, shot and scored. The final goal scorer of the match was Junior Jordan Wolf when she slotted the ball into the net with the assist registered to Senior Jaime Morton. The PC defensive unit held the Trojans to 3 shots on goal as the Mustang offense blitzed 19 shots on goal.
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St. Joseph Monday night SMAC crossover matches would determine the pairings for the SMAC Conference Tournament that will begin Wednesday. Portage Central hosted the St. Joseph Bears for the final conference game before the 1st round of tournament play. PC Sophomore Paige Wester racked up 2 goals in the first minutes of the game and Sophomore Charlie Socia notched both assists. Junior Lauren Brown punched in the 3rd goal with assists to Socia (3) and Junior Jordan Wolf. Senior Shannon Bennett headed in the 4th goal off a well placed ball from Freshman Taylore Peterson. Socia took charge and scored an unassisted goal to put PC up 5-0. Wolf had goal number 6 with the assist to Senior Katelyn Weissert. Junior Shelby Humphries got the final goal of the first half and Senior Jaime Morton registered the assist. The score at the half, PC 7 - St. Joe 0. The Mustangs drilled in #8 to end the game early when Peterson scored an unassisted goal just moments into the 2nd half. Senior Goalkeeper Sam Bowditch made 4 saves as the PC defense allowed just 6 shots on the Mustang goal.
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Saginaw Invitational The fans were thankful that the rain had ended for the Invitational and all could see that it could be partly sunny in Saginaw. The #1 ranked Mustangs took on the #3 ranked team in Michigan - Utica Eisenhower for the 3rd contest of the day. Play began quickly as Portage Central avoided an Ike goal just moments into the game. An Eisenhower player dribble up and blistered a shot off frame of the goal. The Mustangs were jolted and shifted into scoring gear. Freshman Taylore Peterson does what she does and recorded her 2nd assist of the day as she hit Sophomore Paige Wester to tally her 3rd goal of tournament. The goal put PC up 1-0 and the Mustangs held that score into halftime. The second half began and Ike made another attack on the Mustang goal, this time the effort was made good in the 33rd minute when Utica tied up the match 1-1. Both teams continued to try to add to their score but no other attempts became goals for either squad and the tie score would hold up through the remainder of game. Portage Central's record was 2-0-1 for the day.
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Saginaw Invitational Game two at the Saginaw Invitational for the Portage Central Mustangs would be the always exciting clash with the Brighton Bulldogs. With a stellar Brighton defensive squad only allowing two goals for the year against their opponents, PC knew they would have to convert any scoring opportunities that were presented. Sophomore Paige Wester struck gold in the 3rd minute of play when Wester nailed in a one touch shot from Junior Shelby Humphries . The perfectly place ball put Central up 1-0. The Mustang offense worked well and moved the ball to create chances for Portage. The Bulldogs defense dug in tighter but Wester would not be denied her second goal of the game as she finished a great ball from Freshman Taylore Peterson eleven minutes later. The halftime score: PC 2 - Brighton 0. In the 33rd minute of the second half, Humphries and Wester connected again but this time it was Humphries who drove in the would be game winner for Portage Central. The Bulldogs got down to business in the 46th and 47th minute as they hung 2 quick goals on the Mustangs. The surge would end there as the final whistle blew and the Mustangs finished the game with a 3-2 advantage. Through the first 2 games of the Invitational the Mustang record was 2-0.
16 - 0 - 1 Saginaw Invitational Most families that have traveled from Portage to Saginaw have learned 2 things about the city of Saginaw, one that it's usually 15-20 degrees colder than home and two that it's usually pouring down rain...Saturday was no exception. Despite the torrential downpour during the 50 minute game, the Mustangs found a way to get it together to beat Heritage. The goal came in the 13th minute of play as the PC Sophomore team of Lindsey Arnett and Charlie Socia combined to put Central up 1-0. The one and only goal of the game would be enough for Portage to win. The Mustangs would then wring out their shorts and jerseys to get ready to compete in the 2nd match against Brighton and hour later. The PC record after the 1st match of three was 1-0.
East Kentwood The evening began with Senior Night festivities Wednesday. Senior parent Kathleen Weissert addressed a full crowd as she listed the honors, achievements and highlights of the 2009 senior class . PC honored five seniors as they started the match against the East Kentwood Falcons. Seniors that started at forward: Katelyn Weissert, Jaime Morton and Courtney Havens. Senior Shannon Bennett played defense and Sam Bowditch was in the goal for Central. The two "Top Ten" teams took to the pitch to battle it out. The Falcons proved serious about the game as they knocked in the 1st goal of the night in the 19th minute. PC heard the wake up call and got it together in the 29 minute. Freshman Taylore Peterson hit a beautiful ball toward the Kentwood goal and Sophomore Charlie Socia gave it an insurance tap to tie up the score 1-1. Just 10 minutes later as Central continued the assault on the Falcon goal, Sophomore Lindsey Arnett dropped a great ball to Peterson who struck it and then Socia finished up again to give her the game winner. The Falcons continued to try even up the score but the Mustangs maintained the lead for a 2-1 win. PC shots were 18 with 7 on goal while EK took 12 shots with 2 on goal. Congratulations to the PC Senior Class and our thanks to the Senior Parents for all that they have given to the program!
Battle Creek Lakeview Portage Central took to the road in a match up with Battle Creek Lakeview - the SMAC East division winner - in the crossover game at the Spartan's home field Monday night. The Mustangs found out early that the Lakeview defense was ready for a rematch. The PC offense relentlessly attacked the Spartan goal throughout the first half. Freshman Taylore Peterson was on a mission as she drilled the crossbar and continued to pressure the goal. Sophomore Paige Wester and Junior Jordan Wolf had several good shots on goal but somehow the ball refused to go in the back of the net. Lakeview goalkeeper Grace Labrecque put on a clinic to make numerous saves for the Spartans. The second half was much like the first and PC continued to bend the Lakeview defense, but with the box packed with Spartans - it refused to break. Sophomore Charlie Socia gave Central a great chance when she hit the post but the game was still scoreless. Regulation time ended with a 0-0 score. The Mustangs struck the golden goal at 6:37 in the first overtime period. Junior Katie Hamilton worked the ball down the end line and made a great cross to Junior Lauren Brown. Brown redirected the ball and drilled it into the back of the net to end the game. Portage's defensive unit of Seniors GK Sam Bowditch, Shannon Bennett and Jaime Morton, Juniors Shelby Humphries and Natalie Hall, Sophomores Lindsay Shafer, Meghan Sokolowski and Colleen Unsworth held the Spartans to one shot.
Kalamazoo Central The Lady Mustangs "rowed" across town to play the Kalamazoo Central Giants for the final SMAC Central division game before crossover play begins. Some fans sat in cars, stood under umbrellas or wore plenty of rain gear to try keep dry for the match. The players did not have the same luxury as the clouds released what seemed to be 10 inches of rain as the whistle blew for the game to begin. Both teams decided to get into the spirit enjoy the "rain game". Donning smiles on their faces, PC and KC attempted to get the ball out of 5" of standing water (dribbling did not work the majority of the time). Portage controlled the play in the 1st half although the Giants denied the Mustangs of any reward and the score was 0-0 at the close of the half. In the 2nd half Portage Central continued to possess the ball and finally connected for the first goal. Freshman Taylore Peterson sent the ball in the KC box, Junior Lauren Brown got a tap on it and Sophomore Lindsey Arnett cleaned it up to put PC up 1-0 in the 65th minute. Junior Katie Hamilton drilled in the second goal in the 76th minute with the assisted going to Sophomore Colleen Unsworth. The final goal was scored in the last minutes of the match when Junior Shelby Humphries passed to Sophomore Meghan Sokolowski, who fired the ball in the goal. The final score PC 3 - KC 0. Defensive players: Seniors; GK-Sam Bowditch, Shannon Bennett and Jaime Morton, Juniors; Humphries, Natalie Hall and Jordan Wolf, Sophomores; Sokolowski and Unsworth worked together to secure the shut out for Portage Central. Both teams are congratulated for the effort and sportsmanship displayed during a very soggy game.
East Grand Rapids Portage Central finished out a long string of matches when they hosted the Pioneers of East Grand Rapids Friday night. The Mustangs took the field to battle EGR in a non-conference game. The wind would be a strong factor for both team as Portage battled the wind in the 1st half and East would be challenged with it in the 2nd half. The Pioneers tallied the first goal of the game in the 27th minute as EGR capitalized on a PC breakdown. The Mustangs got it together when Sophomore Charlie Socia evened up the score as she finished a ball from Junior Shelby Humphries 7 minutes after the Pioneer score. The score at halftime PC 1 - EGR 1. In the second half Central has a burst of scoring when Sophomore Paige Wester worked the ball into the back of the net to put PC up 2-1. Two minutes later Freshman Taylore Peterson connected on a ball from Senior Katelyn Weissert to add to the Mustangs lead to make it 3-1. The Pioneers would not give up even as the clock ticked down as EGR answered with their second goal on the evening with 2 minutes left in the match. That would be the last goal of the match. The final score of the game Portage Central 3 - East Grand Rapids 2.
Loy Norrix PC hosted SMAC Central division opponent Loy Norrix for the 3rd SMAC season game Wednesday night. The Mustangs got off to a quick start putting three goals up on the board but the Knights answered with a goal of their own to close out the first half. Halftime score PC 3 - Loy Norrix 1. It was all Mustang power in the second half as PC added 6 addition goals, without allowing another Knight score. Goals scored by the Mustangs came from the following players: Junior Lauren Brown (2), Sophomores; Charlie Socia, Lindsey Arnett (3), Paige Wester and Meghan Sokolowski. Feeding the ball in for assists were: Brown (2), Socia, Wester, Sokolowski and Freshman Taylore Peterson (3). The score final in the 70 minute match was Mustangs 9 - Knights 1.
Portage Northern Light rain marked the beginning of the SMAC Central Division game between Portage Central and Portage Northern as the Huskies hosted the event. The bleachers were filled to watch this cross-town match up between two passionate Portage teams. Marked by traditional physical play, both teams aggressively went to work to try to put their team on the board and to keep the crowd cheering. PC took 8 shots in the 1st half and placed just 2 on the goal. The Northern and Central defensive units each had a shutout to end the first half of play to keep a clean slate on the scoreboard. Halftime score: PC 0 - PN 0. As the rain tried to clear, the 2nd half began much like the 1st with both teams going at it with all the energy they had to give. Portage Central struck 1st when Sophomore Charlie Socia got the ball from Junior Jordan Wolf. Socia's goal put the Mustangs up 1 - 0 eight minutes into the 2nd half. One goal never seems to be enough of a cushion in this match up as Central allowed a own goal to tie up the game. Both sides of the stands encouraged their own team to finish up the match in regulation but it was not meant to be. The score at the end of the 2nd half: PC 1 - PN 1. The contest went into "Golden Goal" overtime play and PC Sophomore Paige Wester dribbled the ball in Huskie territory and was fouled by a pair of Huskie defenders inside the PN box. Central was awarded a PK and Sophomore Meghan Sokolowski stepped up and hit the game winning penalty kick to end the game. Final score PC 2 - PN 1 (in round 1 of SMAC play).
Traverse City Central The final "3 For 1" game saw the Portage Central take on Traverse City Central. PC had a flurry of goals. The first goal came from Sophomore Lindsey Arnett with Sophomore Paige Wester getting the assist. The 2nd goal was an unassisted free kick from Junior Shelby Humphries who nailed it past the keeper. Senior Courtney Havens gave PC the 3-0 lead when she scored off the assist from Senior Katelyn Weissert. Junior Jordan Wolf added to the Mustangs goals as Wester notched her 2nd assist. The final goal of the day came off the foot of Freshman Taylore Peterson with a little help from Wester and Socia. Central had 9 shots on goal for the match. The final score PC 5 - TCC 0.
Okemos Game two of the day came as Portage Central battled a Division I rival team, Okemos. The Chiefs came ready to play as they hung the first goal up on the board in the 6th minutes of play. Central was kept scoreless in the 1st half of the match. The halftime scored read Okemos 1 - Portage Central 0. Both teams continued to press and try to create offense but it was the Mustangs who struck late in the 2nd half. Freshman Taylore Peterson sent in a great ball off a corner kick that was finished by Sophomore Meghan Sokolowski. PC tied up the game in the 51st minute and that would be the end of the scoring. Goalkeepers on both teams made great saves for their respective teams to keep the match exciting. The final score Portage Central 1 - Okemos 1.
Traverse City West Portage Central began the "Three for One" day as they Host Traverse City West in the early morning match. PC came out of the gate strong as a number of Mustangs registered goals and assists in the match. Portage goals came from Juniors Lauren Brown & Jordan Wolf, Sophomore Charlie Socia, Seniors Shannon Bennett and Courtney Havens. Mustangs assists were by Socia, Sophomore Paige Wester and Freshman Taylore Peterson. The Mustang defense of S. Bennett, Senior Jaime Morton, Juniors Shelby Humphries & Natalie Hall, Sophomores Lindsay Shafer, Meghan Sokolowski and Colleen Unsworth held TCW to 1 shot on goal. Goalkeepers Senior Samantha Bowditch and Sophomore Mara Bennett shared the shutout.
Battle Creek Central The Mustangs opened conference play with the Battle Creek Central Bearcats Wednesday night. Portage Central goals were scored by the following players: Junior Shelby Humphries, Sophomore Paige Wester (2), Junior Jordan Wolf, Sophomores Lindsey Arnett and Charlie Socia, Freshman Taylore Peterson, Senior Shannon Bennett (2), Junior Lauren Brown, Sophomores Meghan Sokolowski and Lindsay Shafer. Mustang assists were: Peterson, Wolf, Wester (2), Arnett, Seniors Courtney Havens (2) and Jaime Morton (2), Humphries and Junior Katie Hamilton.
Vicksburg With Spring Break behind the Mustangs and the cold winter weather determined to hang on, PC enthusiastically took the field to host the Vicksburg Bulldogs in a non-conference match up Tuesday night. Central let the Bulldogs know early on that they came ready to play as PC notched the first goal of the evening just under 2 minutes into the game. Junior Lauren Brown slotted a through ball onto speedy Sophomore Paige Wester who buried the ball in the net. Five minutes later Freshman Taylore Peterson scored off a pass from Sophomore Charlie Socia to put PC up 2-0. Less than a minute later Sophomore Meagan Sokolowski finished a ball off a Peterson corner kick to add to the Mustang lead. Wester added her second goal as she got the ball by the keeper with the assist registered to Senior Shannon Bennett. The Mustang attack continued as Sophomore Lindsey Arnett racked up two goals that were assisted by Socia and Peterson with 28 minutes left in the 1st half. Junior Natalie Hall got on the board when she scored on a ball that came from Senior Courtney Havens. The final goal of the game was added when Senior Katelyn Weissert aided Socia. The Mustang defense and goalkeepers remained perfect for the evening and did not allow a single shot on goal. PC had 18 shots with 10 on goal. The game ended after the first period with a final score of PC 8 - Vicksburg 0.
Mattawan Portage Central took to the road to play the Mattawan Wildcats in a non-conference match up Wednesday night. The Mustangs got off to a quick start with the first goal coming from Sophomore Charlie Socia with the assist to Freshman Taylore Peterson. Peterson would notch her second assist of the evening just a few minutes later as Sophomore Meghan Sokolowski headed in a corner kick to put PC up 2-0. Socia knocked in her second goal when she hit a ball from Sophomore Lindsey Arnett. Central would get the fourth goal of the first half when Junior Lauren Brown threaded the ball to Junior Jordan Wolf. Wolf slotted it in to Arnett who put it into the net. The halftime score PC 4 - Mattawan 0. Portage Central continued to hit a flurry of shots at the Mattawan goal but managed only one 2nd half goal. Socia would earn a hat trick after Junior Katie Hamilton relentlessly attacked the goal then Socia scooped up the ball and fired in the last goal of the evening. The Wildcats best opportunity came in the second half when a speedy Mattawan player attacked the Mustang goal. Sophomore Mara Bennett came out hard slid out to make a great grab on the ball. PC rotated the strong defense of Seniors: Shannon Bennett and Jaime Morton, Juniors: Shelby Humphries, Natalie Hall and Brown & Sophomores: Sokolowski, Lindsay Shafer and Colleen Unsworth - which held the Wildcats to only 4 shots with one on goal. Senior Sam Bowditch and Bennett split time between the goal posts for PC.
Battle Creek Lakeview The Mustangs hosted the Spartans of Battle Creek Lakeview Monday night in another early season non-conference matchup. PC put early pressure on Lakeview as Freshman Taylore Peterson hit the mark off a ball from Sophomore Jordan Wolf to make it 1-0 Central just 7 minutes into the game. The next goal came in the 28th minute of play when Sophomore Charlie Socia intercepted a Lakeview ball and she popped it past the keeper. The final goal of the first half was struck by Junior Shelby Humphries as she bent in the ball off a corner kick. The halftime score PC 3 - Lakeview 0. The Mustangs weren't finished scoring as Sophomore Lindsey Arnett got into the action as she headed the ball into the goal. Socia assisted Arnett on the goal to put PC up 4-0. Peterson made good on her birthday when she score goal #2 of the evening with the assist registered to Senior Shannon Bennett. Peterson took one strike that was blocked, she gathered it again and fired into the back of the net to tally the last goal of the evening. PC took 19 shots in the evening with 15 on goal, Lakeview had 3 shots and placed one on goal. The Mustangs finish up before spring break as they face the Mattawan Wildcats on Wednesday.
Forest Hills Central Portage Central hosted Forest Hills Central, the defending Division II State Champions Wednesday night in a non-conference match up at the Mustangs home opener. The Mustangs matched up well with the Rangers as both teams pushed towards each others goal. Junior Jordan Wolf earned the Mustangs a corner kick as she worked the ball towards the FHC goal and knocked the ball of the Ranger defender. Freshman Taylore Peterson struck the corner and found Sophomore Lindsey Arnett in the 11th minute of play. Arnett put goal number two of the evening up just under four minutes later after she received the ball from Sophomore defender Lindsay Shafer. The stingy PC defense of Sophomores Meghan Sokolowski, Shafer, Junior Shelby Humphries and Senior Shannon Bennett held the Rangers scoreless in the 1st half. The score at the end of the 1st half Portage Central 2 - FHC 0. In the second half PC added the 3rd and final goal for the Mustangs as Junior Lauren Brown fed the ball to Peterson. Peterson slotted the ball through to Sophomore Paige Wester as she slipped by the defense.. Wester found herself 1 v 1 with the Ranger keeper and shot the ball into the corner. The Mustangs were unable to post a defensive shut out as they allowed a goal in the second half. The final score: PC 3 - FHC 1.
Grand Haven The Lady Mustangs took to the road for their first regular season non-conference match as they faced the Grand Haven Buccaneers. Both teams faced the extreme temperatures by the lake as the game got underway. Portage Central came out with a blitz of shots on the Buccaneer goal but Senior goalkeeper Katie Malnight denied the Mustangs any goals in the first half of play. Portage strung several passing plays together to take 9 first half shots with 5 being placed on goal. Mustang keepers Senior Sam Bowditch and Sophomore Mara Bennett along with the defense held Grand Haven scoreless in the first 40 minutes of play. The first half ended with 26 seconds left on the clock due to a player injury time out. The officials decided to resume the game after the halftime break, played out the 26 seconds then both teams switched sides and to begin the second half. The second half belonged to the Mustangs as PC finally put a goal on the board 3 1/2 minutes in. The first Central goal came as Junior Jordan Wolf brought the ball up field and crossed the ball to Sophomore Charlie Socia who touched it and then Sophomore Lindsey Arnett slid in to finish the play. The last goal came off a corner kick from Freshman Taylore Peterson as Peterson sent in a perfect ball the went off the head of Senior Shannon Bennett and then drilled in by Junior Shelby Humphries. The second half had PC registering 14 shot with 10 on goal allowing the Bucs just 3 shots with 1 on goal. The final score of the match was Portage Central 2- Grand Haven 0.
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This site was last updated 06/14/09