Consistency, defense among early positives for Cheboygan girls soccer team
CHEBOYGAN – The Cheboygan girls soccer team was expecting to play its third game of the season on Friday night.
But then bad weather struck and halted what would’ve been an intense clash at Boyne City.
So, Cheboygan finished its opening week with a 2-0 record, capturing a pair of impressive victories on the road. With Cheboygan’s season now in full swing, here’s some early takeaways for the Chiefs:
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Bent’s two goals lead way at Houghton Lake
Despite battling cold and windy conditions on Thursday, the Chiefs came up with a solid display and stayed unbeaten with a 2-0 victory at Houghton Lake.
Keying Cheboygan was senior midfielder and recent Grand Rapids Community College signee Taylor Bent, who scored twice. Bent is being counted on to fuel the Chiefs as one of their captains. So far, so good.
“It was wet, cold and miserable, but the kids played hard,” Cheboygan coach Tom Markham said after the win. “We had numerous chances in the first half, but we came into halftime at 0-0. I thought we came out and played a strong second half. I don’t think we allowed a shot on goal in the second half, but we moved the ball well. It was a solid team effort from everybody.”
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Defense doing its part
Through two games, the Chiefs have outscored their respective opponents by a 10-0 margin, including eight goals at Brethren on Tuesday.
But what Markham will probably be most happy with are the two shutouts his defense has produced. Markham’s teams have featured so much attacking talent that’s propelled them to titles through the years, but what should never be overlooked is how stout his defenses have been during those championship runs. You always hear how defense wins championships, and this has most certainly applied to the Chiefs in the Markham era.
Much tougher challenges await, but Cheboygan’s ability to lock down opponents thus far has been a major positive.
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Home sweet home, finally
After starting the campaign on the road, the Chiefs will finally play in front of their home supporters this upcoming week, starting with a 5 p.m. clash against Roscommon on Monday.
Normally, it feels like the first game of the season is at home for the Chiefs, but that didn't happen this year. I’m sure the Cheboygan players are chomping at the bit to get on the pitch and deliver a quality performance.
After Monday, Cheboygan stays home for a 6 p.m. game against Big Rapids Crossroads on Wednesday.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Early thoughts on the Cheboygan girls soccer team's 2024 season
