Boone Grove in control after latest victory

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HAMMOND --  Boone Grove preserved its undefeated boys soccer record with a 2-0 victory Thursday at Bishop Noll.

The win puts the Wolves firmly in control of their destiny in the Northwest Indiana High School Soccer conference.  Boone Grove now holds a two-game lead in the conference with games remaining against Michigan City Marquette and Hanover Central.

The Wolves also captured the conference title last season, clinching against Bishop Noll in the final game.  This year's game lacked some of the drama of last year's affair.  In that game, the two teams were tied in double-overtime when the game had to be called due to darkness. The Warriors had to return to Boone Grove again the next day just to lose in the shootout.

"I'm a lot more happy to get this win the actual day of the game," said Boone Grove coach Brian Sherwin.

Sherwin got an opportunity to relax quickly when the Wolves scored just 7:54 into the game.  Ben Vasquez chased down a ball behind the Bishop Noll defense to the right of the box. Vasquez rolled a pass across the front of the goal, just out of the reach of the Warriors' keeper. Mitch Aguilera pounced on the ball and knocked it into the open net.

That was it for the scoring for the next 65 minutes as the match evolved into mostly a midfield scrum with Boone Grove getting the better of the play.

"After that first goal, we got kind of sloppy," Sherwin said. "It took us until the second half to play how we want to play and control the ball."

Boone Grove (11-0-1, 3-0) started eight seniors and three juniors and their experience showed. While Wolves' keeper Trevor Spangenberg was forced to make 10 saves on the evening, the Warriors never really mounted a coherent attack.

"We started off strong this year, but for some reason, we've been flat the last two or three games," said Bishop Noll coach Armando Garza. "We're dealing with a few injuries right now, too."

Aguilera delivered the clinching score with five minutes remaining off a feed from Matt Malone. Malone took a long pass and found Aguilera coming up the middle on a three-on-two.  Warrior goalkeeper John Wilson (12 saves) never had a chance.        

Bishop Noll (8-4, 3-2) had their best opportunity at the 32-minute mark when freshman Angel Zamudo beat the Boone Grove defenders to a long ball.  Zamudo slid a shot past the sprawling Spangenberg, but it went just wide of the right post.