Byron boys Soccer begins season with two ties

Byron and Austin clashed in a “very competitive game showcasing two styles,” according to Byron Head Coach Dave Bahr.

“Austin likes to possess the ball and entice the opponent to overcommit and then they take advantage. Byron likes to pass into dangerous zones and create goal-scoring opportunities,” Bahr wrote in an email.

Austin would score first at the 37-minute mark.

“Byron got in on Austin goalkeeper Kyler Flanders several times only to have him catch or parry point-blank shots,” Bahr wrote in an email. “Byron’s Ben Zimmerman finally got the equalizer at the 77th minute with a bending shot from the midfield that found the left cheek of the net. Caden Anderson provided the assist.”

Bahr said the final three minutes proved to be intense, with both teams looking for the game-winner before the game ended in a tie.

“This was a hard-fought and entertaining game, played by two teams with a high desire to win,” he said.

Byron goalkeeper Jackson Ihrke ended the game with eight saves. Both teams ended with nine shots on goal.

Austin’s goal came three minutes before the end of the half, and Byron’s lone goal came three minutes before the end of the game.

“That is as even as it gets,” said Bahr.

Byron Ties Faribault

Two days after tying with Austin, Byron was back in action at Faribault.

“In one of the strangest games we have been involved in, another tie was the end result,” Bahr said. “In this game, Faribault employed a similar attacking style to Byron, seeking dangerous areas to exploit space. This was another well-played game between two teams who wanted to come away with a win.”

Bahr described the game as being more physical than normal. During the game Faribault had 16 fouls and two yellow cards, while Byron had eight and one yellow card.

“Most of the fouls were of the aggressive type and not of the unsporting type,” he said. “Both teams wanted the win.”

Faribault would strike first at the 24-minute mark but Byron’s Jaxon Boynton scored several minutes later on a penalty kick.

“The ensuing penalty kick was successful but called back because both teams infringed inside the penalty zone before the kick,” said Bahr. “Boynton converted the re-kick for the equalizer.”

Only three minutes would go by afterward before Faribault scored again — this time with just six minutes remaining in the half.

“One minute into the second half, Boynton evened things up again on a very strange sequence of events that required several referee group discussions and 10 minutes to sort out,” Bahr said.

He explained a Byron ball “launch in” at Faribault goalkeeper Omar Ali “who initially caught the ball high but dropped it to his feet before he had control.”

“In the ensuing scrum, Caden Anderson got a foot on it and tried to shoot from two yards out but was blocked. Then, Brady Boyken sent in a short blast that a Faribault player saved illegally with his hand,” Bahr said. “The ensuing rebound was finished by Boynton.”

Bahr mentioned that at first it needed to be determined whether or not the goalkeeper had control of the ball.

“The referees all agreed he did not,” he said. “The next decision was if the player who denied a goal-scoring opportunity should be red carded and removed and a penalty kick awarded to Byron. A third conference was called when it was pointed out that Byron actually scored during the course of play. The final decision was a goal for Byron, a yellow card for the Faribault player, and a 2-2 tie.”

Byron eventually would take the lead “with a great one-time finish by Boynton, sent across by Ben Zimmerman to complete Boynton’s hat trick,” said Bahr.

With a 3-2 advantage and 30 minutes left to play, Byron was unable to keep the lead after a late goal by Faribault with 17 minutes left to play.

“Both teams had several chances toward the end of the game but could not find paydirt,” said Bahr.