DCE shut down in soccer sectional final

WAUSAU - The Evergreens came into the weekend averaging five goals a game in the WIAA boys soccer playoffs.

However, D.C. Everest struggled to generate an offensive attack against Green Bay Preble on Saturday as the program's best-ever postseason run came to an end with a 5-0 loss in a Division 1 sectional final at Wausau West.

The Evergreens finish with a 21-2-2 record.

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"They showed up to play today and it obviously wasn't our best 90 (minutes)," Everest senior keeper Alex Pagel said. "They were the better team today.

"We definitely have a lot to look back on (this season), we are proud of what we did," Pagel said. "It was by far the best season I've ever been a part of."

Preble's Ben Weltzien had a goal and an assist, and the Hornets (24-1-1) broke the game open with three goals in an 11-minute span in the second half. It's Preble's ninth state appearance and first since 2013.

Preble seniors Max Starks, Isaac Putzier and Lance Janowski were all freshmen on that state runner-up team, and all three had a goal against Everest.

"Our freshman year it was like we were along for the ride. Now we're being the people that set the tone here," Janowski said of the trio that are part of the 16 seniors on the Hornets' roster. "It's a whole different side of the spectrum and it's really amazing to be a part of."

Starks scored in the 19th minute as his shot deflected in off the far post to give the Hornets the lead for good. Christopher Juarez Sanchez added a goal in the 39th minute off a pass from Weltzien as the Hornets led 2-0 after a first half in which they dominated possession time.

Preble's game plan was to not let Everest senior forward Jack Mittelsteadt beat them. The Hornets had two defenders on the Evergreens leading scorer from the start and limited both his possessions with the ball and Everest's ability to get him on a run with a long through ball.

"We knew they were going to try and get him the ball," Preble coach Chris Becker said. "Our two center backs are typically a little more aggressive but we told them to hang back (on defense) and when (Mittelsteadt) had the ball to just contain and not let him try and dribble and beat us. Then we kind of had our defensive center mid kind of stay in front of that so it made it difficult for (Everest) to try and find him.

"You could tell they were stating to get frustrated because they started putting him in the center mid because he wasn't getting the ball touches," Becker said. "I think we executed the game plan well in almost blanketing him so he couldn't get the ball."

Everest coach Manny Pollack said the Hornets defense presented a challenge overall.

"They've got a lot of size on defense," Pollack said. "We struggled executing the game plan as far as getting our players the feed up top (offensively) and kind of working off our center forward. The game got away from us pretty early on."

Tim Johnson: 715-845-0731, or timothy.johnson@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @timmyjo11

First half: 1. P, Max Starks, 18:52. 2. P, Christopher Juarez Sanchez (Ben Weltzien), 38:25.

Second half: 3. P, Isaac Putzier, 53:48. 4. P, Weltzien (Tate Lofdahl), 60:24. 5. P, Lance Janowski (Lofdahl), 64:49.