By Ricky Klaverkamp / KVSC Assistant Sports Director / @RKlaverkamp

The Apollo Eagles (boys soccer) won a nail-biter on the road against the Little Falls Flyers Saturday afternoon 5-4.

Both teams were struggling going into the game.  Apollo (0-3-0 ovr, 0-3-0 CLC) had only scored one goal in their first three games.  Little Falls (1-3-0 ovr, 1-2-0 Granite Ridge) had only fared slightly better with 4 goals all scored in their previous game against Melrose.  This game would change that.

Early in the match Apollo was knocking on the door. The Little Falls back line buckled several times with Hamza Mohammed receiving several through balls.  He had several breakaways in the first 10 minutes.  Flyers’ goalkeeper Ethan Yorek was up to the challenge.  Yorek managed to save several drives on goal with his legs and hands.  Mohammed would not be denied however and put a shot in the top corner going bar down in the 10th minute making it 1-0. 

A few minutes later Apollo would have a second opportunity after a set piece near the box.  Yorek misplayed a ball of his hand resulting in the ball being on the goal line. Luckily, Koda Brastad was able to clear the ball off the line.  However, Yorek found himself inside his net as Cade Jacobsob ripped a shot towards the net which looked to have been saved by Yorek. Play looked to continue but the far side official had his flag up and made the goal call.  The score was now 2-0 in the 15th minute.

This scoreline would change shortly though as Riley Perry made it past the back line. He put a shot past Eagles goalie Dylan Coulter making the score 2-1 in the 23rd minute.  The game would be tied up in the 30th minute with a defensive miscue allowing Alec Lindberg to get one on one with Coulter.  A diving kick chipped the ball over the Eagles netminder making it 2-2.  The scoring wasn’t over as Hamza Mohammed put one more goal in with a shot inside the box that beat Yorek in the 40th minute. The score would be 3-2 at the end of the half.

The second half started out all Apollo as they quickly regained a two goal lead.  In the 43rd minute Ethan Christensen chipped a ball over the head of Yorek making it 4-2.  The play would stay in the Flyers’ end for most of the 2nd half.  Yorek would stand on his head for the entire afternoon. He ended up using every inch of his body to make miraculous saves all game.

Little Falls was able to get the offense running again in the 53rd minute with Riley Perry once again finding the back of the net off a corner kick making it 4-3.  Little Falls would strike again only minutes later with a set piece outside the box allowing Tyrell Davis to head one into the net in the 60th minute. This score would remain for almost the rest of the game before a cross by Jacobsob allowed Abdirehin Iman to get a foot to the ball and bury it into the empty net in the 79th minute for the game winner. The game would end 5-4.

Apollo returns home on the 14th to take on the Sartell-St. Stephen Sabres.  This game will be broadcast on 97.5 RadioX with coverage starting at 6:50 pm and kickoff at 7:00 pm.