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Muskego ends Milton High soccer season

MILWAUKEE — While reflecting on the finality of a state tournament loss, Milton High senior forward Adam Lysak paused in mid-sentence and let out a deep sigh.

You could call it a sigh of relief, considering the Milton boys soccer team had to overcome so much to finish where it did.

Though the joyride finally ended for the Red Hawks with a 2-0 loss Friday night to Muskego in a WIAA Division 1 state semifinal game at Uihlein Soccer Park, Lysak and the rest of his teammates chose to trade tears and frustration for a celebration of what they accomplished.

After all, the Red Hawks had to forfeit three wins early in the season, relegating them to an 0-6 start. They played without Lysak for part of the season while the prolific forward was competing for the Polish Under-17 national team, and they had to defeat three straight opponents with vastly superior records just to reach the state semifinals.

Along the way, Milton finished with a 15-11 record and bagged its first state tournament win in program history with a 2-1 victory over Green Bay Preble in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

“Most of these guys have been together since we were tiny, since we just started kicking a ball,” Lysak said Friday. “It was a really emotional game for (us). I know (we) gave it (our) all, so it’s not really disappointment, but it’s just a feeling of thankfulness that we got this far.

“It’s a really good feeling that we got this far.”

Milton’s magic ran out, though, as fourth-ranked Muskego (26-3) took control and advanced to today’s 2 p.m. state championship game against top-ranked Milwaukee Marquette (21-2-1).

The Warriors had eight shots on goal to Milton’s one and earned nine corner kicks to Milton’s four.

“They were the better team,” Milton second-year coach Ryan Wagner said. “We gave it our all, and that’s all I can ask for. They’re an excellent team.”

The Warriors focused on shutting down Lysak, with defenders Vince Tomczyk, Andy Ksobiech and Lance Rank affording him less leg room than a kitchen cabinet.

Lysak scored four goals in two sectional games and added a goal and an assist in the state quarterfinal win but registered just two shots Friday, none on goal. Most importantly, Muskego was focused on defending Lysak’s excellent passing skills, which included marking Lysak’s passing targets as they came running down the wings.

“He’s a great, great passer,” Muskego coach Eric Hess said. “We had to make sure we picked up those runners, because he’s a good player. We knew that.”

One of Lysak’s passes did get through in the 13th minute, shortly after Muskego’s Tim Dahl scored off a rebound in the 11th minute to put the Warriors ahead 1-0.

Lysak’s cross found sophomore Joel Addie, who executed a beautiful header to the far post that beat Muskego goalkeeper Zach Sprecher. But the ball trickled off the inside of the post, and Sprecher scooped it up before the Red Hawks could get the rebound.

As it turned out, that was Milton’s best chance in the match.

The second half became chippy, as the referees handed out five yellow cards. Muskego got the back-breaking goal in the 46th minute when Dahl made a nice pass into the box to Kurt Knolle from around the end line.

Knolle executed a quick move to get a clean shot before beating Milton goalkeeper Nick Hallett (6 saves) up high.

Wagner, however, felt the ball had clearly crossed the end line before Dahl made his pass.

“Talking to the other coach after the game, pretty much both of us said—and you don’t want to say it—but it was pretty bad officiating for a state semifinal game,” Wagner said. “Even he said it, and we thought the same thing as well.”

Nonetheless, Wagner wasn’t going to blame the loss on the officials, instead attributing it to better competition.

Muskego (26-3), which has outscored its opponents 5-0 thus far at state, now gets its shot at Marquette. The Hilltoppers advanced by edging Mequon Homestead, 1-0, in an overtime thriller in Friday’s other Division 1 semifinal match.

“It was the end to a great season,” Wagner said. “It would have been awesome to play Marquette in the state final, but it would have been scary, too.

“It was a great season. I can’t ask for anything more.”

MUSKEGO 2, MILTON 0

Muskego 1 1 – 2

Milton 0 0 – 0

First Half

Mus—Tim Dahl (unassisted), 10:22.

Second Half

Mus—Kurt Knolle (Dahl), 45:45.

Saves—Zach Sprecher (Mus) 1, Nick Hallett (Mil) 6.