Bulldogs win second consecutive Apollo Conference title

By Fred Kroner

Mahomet-Seymour’s path to a second consecutive Apollo Conference boys’ soccer championship was a difficult journey.

The team had to play five league games in the final eight days of the season, ending with three road matches in the final four days. Two of those opponents were ones with designs on the Apollo title as well.

M-S pulled through, posting wins at Taylorville, 11-0, on Thursday (April 15) and at Mount Zion, 2-1, on Saturday (April 17).

The finale turned out to be for the conference crown. The winner was guaranteed the title with the loser settling for a second-place tie with Lincoln.

Mount Zion scored first, but M-S hit the equalizer before intermission and then netted the lone goal of the second half.

M-S finishes 12-2-3 overall and 11-1-2 in the Apollo. Mount Zion ends with a 10-2-2 league mark.

When the schools played at M-S, the match ended in a 2-2 deadlock.

In the rematch, “Mount Zion looked to consistently move the ball outside and throw numbers at the far side,” M-S coach Jeremy Davis said. “Midway through the first half, they jumped on to the scoreboard this way.

“Their attacker was able to get the corner and send across a ball that found a man on the back side, who placed it past the keeper. The backline adjusted well, and Braeden Heinold continued to have a great inaugural varsity season back there.”

M-S forced a halftime tie thanks to the efforts of the team’s two top scorers for the season.

“Before the end of the half,” Davis said, “Nate Lundstrom and Eli Warren continued their decade-long partnership on the field. Nate found Eli in transition in a breakaway, but got closed out a bit by the defender.

“He dropped it to a sprinting Lundstrom who played a beautiful arching shot to the back side netting over the keeper.”

 That goal:  https://youtu.be/ygysRLAj_v4?t=2788

“In the second half, the Bulldogs did a great job controlling the midfield,” Davis said. “Logan Woodward continued his strong play from throughout the year.

“He continuously won 50/50 battles to give his team the edge that they needed to win. Both teams looked to play strength on strength in the middle, and Woodward, Lundstrom, and sophomore Nick Tjahjadi came out ahead on the day.”

Midway through the second half, Anthony Ramirez was able to get the edge on the Mount Zion defense as he entered the offensive box. After beating the defender, he cut him back, moving the keeper a bit off the post. Ramirez then placed it inside that near post to give his team the lead with the goal that clinched the conference championship.

That goal: https://youtu.be/ygysRLAj_v4?t=6649

The M-S junior varsity topped Mount Zion, 2-0, to end unbeaten against Apollo Conference foes. Overall, the Bulldogs’ JV team had a 10-1 record.

For the varsity to be in position for Saturday’s game to determine the final conference standings, the Thursday game at Taylorville was critical.

The 11-0 Bulldog win was the second of the year by that margin over the Tornadoes.

Playing its third game in three days, M-S was able to substitute freely after building an early lead.

Tucker Antonacci registered a hat trick to go with one assist. Kai Jones, Ramirez and Warren each hit two goals. All three also contributed one assist.

Titus Payne had a goal and two assists. Greyson Campion had two assists and Kyle Walmer ended with one assist.

Goalkeeper Zach Beyer posted a shutout in his first varsity start.

“A lot of guys were able to successfully make their varsity debut and perform well on the higher level,” Davis said. “The team dominated possession and the game. They showed well in their third game in three days.”

For the season, Warren hit a team-high 22 goals. Lundstrom netted 21 goals. Other scoring leaders were Ramirez (eight goals), Antonacci (seven goals), Clayton Gibson (four goals), Sam Henrichs (four goals) and Woodward (three goals).

Lundstrom finished with 15 assists, one more than Warren. Woodward totaled nine assists. Gibson, Tjahjadi and Payne all collected four assists.

Warren established the new career scoring record (combined goals and assists) with 85 points, smashing the previous mark of 63.

He tied the program record for career goals (47), matching a mark set by Austin Carr in 2018. Warren also set a new career record for assists (38).

Lundstrom moved into a tie for fifth in career scoring – matching a total (54) set by his brother Evan in 2016.