Rockets get their revenge: Howland falls to Bay 2-0 in regional semi final loss
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MACEDONIA -- For a large portion of Wednesday's Division II regional semifinal contest between Howland and Bay, it looked like there was going to be a repeat of last year's regional semifinal, which the Tigers won by a goal.
But, in the end, Bay broke the deadlock the exact way Howland did last year -- on a penalty kick -- then chipped in one more goal to top the Tigers 2-0 and advance to the regional finals.
At the end of the day, Bay's depth proved to be too much for the reigning state champions.
"We had a good first half, I think they took it to another level in the second half and we just couldn't match it," Howland coach Brian Stiles said. "We really didn't have the bodies to match. We took an injury there in the first half, and Bay just keeps flowing, such good players, throwing players at you that sometimes it's a matter of time."
It took until the midway point of the second half for either team to break the tie despite both teams rattling off chances.
It was Bay's Million Evans who got the Rockets on the board, scoring both the PK goal to put Bay on top and the second to push their lead to the final.
There was some irony in the game-winning goal coming off a penalty kick.
"Paybacks are rough," Stiles said. "I thought in the first half, we had a couple really nice chances and if we get those, maybe it's a different game.
"We had a really nice chance in the second half, I think it was nil-nil at the time. Bay took advantage of theirs and we didn't take advantage of ours."
Evans piled on the second goal a few minutes later to put Bay up 2-0.
Despite being two goals down, the energy never shifted from Howland's bench. The team was just as amped as they were from the start, doing everything they could to tie the game back up.
The Tigers couldn't convert however, and the Rockets maintained the clean sheet.
The Rockets advance to the regional finals where they'll take on Richfield Revere for a chance at being in the state final four.
Howland ends its season at 16-4-0. There were a lot of question marks surrounding the Tigers entering the season after graduating a great senior class.
However, the class of 2022 was determined to erase any doubt and continue the legacy of the teams before them.
Seniors Dylan DiPiero (led the team with 22 goals), Nicholas Durig, Gabe Lisi, Kylan Mowatt-Larssen, Fernando Ramos Jr., Nathaniel Rollison, Joseph Goldberg and Jackson Schmitz, many of whom saw little time before this season, came into this year with plenty to prove.
"They knew what their expectations were and I think a lot of people around didn't have those same expectations," Stiles said. "I think the kids when they look back at this in about five or six days, will look back and realize just how much they did.
"Conference champs, district champions third time in a row. A lot of people doubted this senior class, so I'm really proud of what they accomplished. Many of them waited their turn because they played behind a great team last year and they kept working hard. When it was their time, they came out and I thought they did a heck of a job. I can't be more proud of a senior class."