FANCY FOOTWORK — Fairmont Area’s Matthew Kotewa (6) leaps over diving Cannon Falls goalkeeper Garrett Dolan (88) before scoring a goal during soccer action Thursday night at Kot Soccer Complex in Fairmont. The Bombers’ Isaac Nelson (13) and Lukas Hernke trail the play. (Photo by Greg Abel)
FAIRMONT — Fairmont Area’s Jack Sadusky scored twice, but only got credit for one goal, while Cardinal teammate Matthew Kotewa delivered a two-goal performance on Thursday night.
Erick Gonzalez-Godoy contributed a goal to Kotewa’s and Sadusky’s point-producing efforts to power Fairmont Area to a 4-1 nonconference soccer win over the Cannon Falls Bombers at the Jeffery Kot Soccer Complex in Fairmont.
Gonzalez-Godoy staked the hometown Cardinals to a 1-0 lead when he settled Adrian Sanchez’s long crossing pass near the left doorstep and laced home a right fade shot around Cannon Falls netkeeper Garrett Dolan. Gonzalez-Goday’s goal occurred at the 21:35 juncture of the opening half.
Clinging to a 1-0 lead while outshooting the Bombers by a 7-1 margin in the initial 40 minutes, Sadusky connected for a pivotal twine-finder with 6:17 left before halftime.
“PKs (penalty kicks) are tough anyway because you step up there alone, looking in at the goalie and you’re saying to yourself, ‘Don’t miss,'” said Fairmont Area head coach Brady Meyer. “Anyone who can achieve a second PK after the first one is nullified has my respect. That’s tough.”
That’s exactly what Sadusky achieved. Sadusky kept his initial penalty kick low and to Dolan’s right side for an apparent goal, but the officials erased it off the scoreboard due to an infraction. Sadusky peppered a mid-range shot past Dolan’s left side on his second attempt after using a stutter-step move on his approach to stake the Cardinals to a two-goal lead.
Sadusky’s net-finding blast proved clutch as Riley McGeough inched the Bombers within 2-1 less than 2 minutes into the second half. McGeough collected an errant Cardinal pass, rushed the left wing and blasted a shot just inside the post at the 38:17 mark.
Kotewa, however, would display both his power and his finesse goal-scoring skills down the backstretch.
The Fairmont Area senior striker weaved through traffic at the top of the box, cut hard right and ripped a blast into the right corner of the net to re-establish a two-goal lead with 27:23 remaining in regulation.
Kotewa then demonstrated his outstanding balance and podiatric dexterity by hopping over Dolan’s sliding save attempt, avoided cleating the keeper and punched home the empty-netter to seal the 4-1 win with 10:38 to go.
“Matthew was focused during the latter part of the second half, and he can score when he’s locked on,” said Meyer.
The Cardinals outshot the Bombers by a 13-3 margin, with Dolan netting a game-best nine saves. Netkeeper Jack Kosbab exited with two stops for Fairmont Area.
“It’s good to get back to .500 again. Now we need to bring it every night during the end of the regular season and into the playoffs,” said Meyer.
Fairmont Area (6-6-1) plays host to Waseca at 7 pm Tuesday night, while Cannon Falls (1-10) plays host to Southwest Minnesota Christian at 1 pm Saturday.
Cannon Falls 0-1–1
Fairmont 2-2–4
Scoring Plays
1st Half
FA–Erick Gonzalez-Godoy (Adrian Sanchez), 21:35.
FA–Jack Sadusky penalty kick, 6:19.
2nd Half
CF–Riley McGeough (unassisted), 38:17.
FA–Matthew Kotewa (unassisted), 27:23.
FA–Matthew Kotewa (unassisted), 10:38.
Shots-on-goal: Fairmont Area 7-6–13; Cannon Falls 1-2–3. Corners: Fairmont Area 9; Cannon Falls 1.
Saves: Garrett Dolan (CF) 9; Jack Kosbab (FA) 2, Jonathan Heinze (FA) 0.
Charles Neusch scored two goals to pace Fairmont Area’s 4-0 triumph over Cannon Falls during junior varsity action Thursday night in Fairmont.
Luis Martin and Jackson Bremer contributed one goal apiece to the Cardinals’ winning performance, while goalkeeper Thomas Hamlet earned the shutout between the pipes.
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