Huron County View

Pirates able to hold off Lakers

Jayson Siemen scores twice for Harbor Beach



HARBOR BEACH — It’s not too late for a turnaround for the Harbor Beach soccer team.

With league play just starting to heat up, the Pirates turned in their most complete game of the year, defeating Elkton- Pigeon-Bay Port 2-0, in Greater Thumb North action, Monday afternoon.

Harbor Beach set the tone, scoring early in both halves.

Less than 12 minutes into the first half, Jayson Siemen slammed in a rebound, to put his team up 1-0.

The score would remain that way until halftime.

Just a minute into the second half, freshman Camron Hewens executed a perfect header to push the lead to 2-0.

“The goals that we scored were fantastic,” Harbor Beach coach Jon Dimock said. “It was all of our training coming through.

“It’s always nice to get that second goal, because a one-goal is not a comfortable place to be.”

The Pirates looked on their way to the shutout, until the Lakers cut the deficit in half, with a goal from Keegan Binder, with 12:07 remaining in the contest.

“It was well executed,” Dimock said of the goal for EPBP. “We did lose track of the person who passed the ball away. Our defender turned to the ball and didn’t stay with his man. It was a small breakdown and something we can work on.”

Siemen provided an insurance goal, with 1:27 to play.

PLAYING SHORTHANDED: Harbor Beach was without a pair of key players, in sophomore Nolan Rick and senior Tyler Holdwick.

Rick is nursing a hip injury and is out indefinitely, while Holdwick is out at least another week with a concussion.

That forced Dimock to shuffle his lineup.

He pointed to Caleb Hunter, Kade Roggenbuck, Mitchel Karg and Alex Boltiador, all of whom played multiple positions.

“I applauded the boys for stepping into positions that they’re not comfortable with, or used to,” Dimock said. “They stepped up and made an impact.”

PLAYING WITH THE LEAD: It’s been a bit of a rough go for Dimock and the Pirates so far, as this was just their second victory.

With a young team, which features six sophomores and a freshman, the players are still getting used to leading late in contests.

“When you’re used to having to fight for every minute of every game, this is the first time we’ve had a lead like that late in the game,” Dimock said. “I feel that we may have let our guard down a little bit.”