Petoskey soccer adds most impressive win yet in BNC road trip
TRAVERSE CITY — Win streaks and shutouts aren’t always the ultimate goal for coaches early in the season.
Getting better and figuring out a team that works best together? Absolutely. But when the wins come and they come with a goose egg on the opposite side of the scoreboard, that’s a bonus no coach will be complaining about.
And right now, it’s impossible to say that the Petoskey girls’ soccer team isn’t getting better each time out along the way.
After shutting out Cadillac to open Big North Conference play Tuesday, PHS added yet another shutout win Thursday, this time its most impressive yet over the defending BNC champ in a 1-0 final over Traverse City Central.
With league play just getting started for the Northmen – and everyone else for that matter – Petoskey coach Zach Jonker is seeing what is shaping up to be a heck of a BNC season.
“Central is the defending Big North champ so it was a huge result for us on the road,” Jonker said. “This was the first of five straight league games on the road and we will need to be at our best next week at Gaylord and TC West, who tied 0-0 tonight.
“This is maybe the most balanced I have ever seen the Big North. Our two goal win on Tuesday over Cadillac is the widest margin in any league game to date so it should be a really competitive spring.”
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Just a couple days after notching her first varsity goal, freshman Mady Smith played the hero role with just 10 minutes left against the Trojans, scoring on a one-timer cross from Brynn Jonker.
It was a relief of a goal for everyone in PHS blue and white, after Central won much of the night and Petoskey’s backline and Sadie Corey in net withstood the pounding.
“We slowly adjusted to their speed of play, modified our shape a bit at the half, and we were able to even out some of the possession disparity in the second half,” Jonker added. “Lauren Cole and Haidyn Wegmann both logged a crazy number of miles in the midfield tonight and were key to us getting back into the game.”
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Petoskey's fifth straight shutout win brought them to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in the BNC to start, the lone league team without a loss or tie so far.
In league play, Petoskey will next head to Gaylord on Tuesday, April 23.
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey girls soccer beats TC Central, keeps shutout streak alive
