Gremlins soccer opens district play with shutout
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HOUGHTON -- The high school soccer postseason got underway Wednesday across the state of Michigan.
Locally, the Houghton Gremlins hosted the Grayling Vikings in an MHSAA District 33 quarterfinal game, and there was some history between these two teams on the pitch. Two years ago, in a similar setting, the Vikings ended the Gremlins' season at their place. While the Gremlins returned the favor this year with a 6-0 win, Gremlins coach Mark Lounibos remembers their trip to Grayling two Octobers ago.
"We went down to their place and lost 6-1," he said. "They had a much better team then, but I told ou rguys that they weren’t coming up here today to lose. So, I was really impressed with the way we came out and controlled the game."
The Gremlins scored two goals within the first 12 minutes and that set the tone. The first goal was at the 34:30 mark and off the foot of senior Lucas Mayra. It was a breakaway goal that No. 11 put past Grayling’s keeper Victor Bailey-Haire.
"Lucas set the tone with that goal," Mark said. "I wanted us to come out strong, and we did. The game ball goes to him."
Roughly five minutes later, the Gremlins made it 2-0 with Daniel Lounibos pushing a loose ball in the box into the back of the net.
The Gremlins controlled the game in a big way with the midfield dominating possession and keeping the ball deep in the Vikings' zone, but they did not score any more in the first half, so they took the 2-0 lead into halftime.
In the second though, they had multiple players added a goal to their names. It started with Mayra with his second at the 28-minute mark. He was able to push a ball past Bailey-Haire’s legs. Colin Spencer got the assist.
Spencer’s assist was the perfect warm up to the Gremlins' fourth goal scored by him at the 22:40 mark. A minute later, Simas Lebeliunas kept the Vikings’ goalie busy by posting goal No. 5 for Houghton.
Matt Bennett then scored the Gremlins' sixth and final goal just minutes later.
Coach Lounibos liked the scoring by multiple people. That shows teamwork according to him.
"It is also a victory when I can get everybody in, and that occurred today as well," he added.
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The Gremlins will travel to Kingsford for a District 33 semifinal game next week. They are 0-2-1 against the Flivvers this season.
"We know them well, and we have competed against them well every time we have played then," said Mark. "I am hoping that the energy we had here tonight will continue down there. I know we have it in us."