It’s always a hard-fought contest when Lindbergh and Oakville meet on the soccer field, but the Flyers came out on top this time with a 1-0 win on Oct. 8.
The win moved the Flyers’ unbeaten streak to seven games, and improved their record to 11-1-2, while Oakville fell to 8-5-1 on the season.
The game was also special for Lindbergh, as it was senior night. Lindbergh head soccer coach Jake Pittroff spoke about the importance of the evening.
“That night is always a special night for the program, especially as we get to honor and celebrate our student-athletes,” Pittroff said. “The seniors have been with us for four years and (have) been an integral part of our team’s success. The mark they leave in the program will be a positive legacy for those that came before them and the legacy of success they have left on and off the field. This is a special group and we couldn’t be more proud of their commitment, buy-in and dedication to our quest to win districts, and get back to the Final Four and the opportunity to play for the state title. That’s our goal and this group has bought into this process and journey too.”
As for the game, the Flyers’ lone, and winning, goal was scored by Josh Bocklage. The goal was his third of the season.
“Josh stepped up big in that moment,” Pittroff said. “He played a very disciplined game and worked so hard in the midfield winning 50/50 balls. Being a (center midfielder) is a hard job. He has done it consistently for us through big-time games and capitalized on the opportunity to net the game-winner against Oakville. We continue to see Josh being a big-time player for us in big-time games. He’s done this multiple times throughout the season.”
Goalie Carter Gruen made five saves in the game, notching his fifth shutout of the season for the Flyers.
“Carter has done an outstanding job owning the box,” Pittroff said. “He has kept us in games, especially in close games like Oakville, when games matter most. He’s a tremendous captain and vocal leader with the team and players. The team really counts on him to be the shutdown keeper in net for us.”
With only a handful of games left in the season, Pittroff said his team is primed and ready to defend their District title from last season and hopefully make a run back to the Final Four.
“I believe this team is ready,” he said. “By our metrics, this team is ready for the postseason, and still has a level of play they can elevate to to achieve our goals as a team.”
Pittroff added that one of the things that makes his job great is getting the most out of each of his players and seeing their success.
“The best part of coaching is continuing the success we have had, but also maximizing the most of each player’s skills and talents to raise the bar,” he said. “We, as a staff, know this group has it in them to raise the bar for the remaining games and make a deep postseason run. It has been a fun and exciting soccer season at LHS.”