Sep. 5—In almost seven years of local sports reporting, I’d like to think I’ve seen it all.
I’ve seen some of the most thrilling, dramatic and adrenaline-pumping finishes. I’ve been there for the jaw-dropping, head-scratching and sobering defeats. Blowouts, snoozers, forgettables — you name it, I’ve seen it.
But I hadn’t seen anything like what I saw on Aug. 28 at Bemidji Middle School.
When I arrived at the field, I had to triple-check that my eyes weren’t deceiving me. The Lumberjacks had only two reserves to work with on their bench.
BHS boys soccer head coach Rick Toward
spoke on his bewilderment
at his program’s low numbers this season after beating Crookston to open the season on Aug. 23. The Jacks have just 27 rostered players this fall, which would be sufficient for a varsity-only soccer team.
Bemidji, however, fields a junior varsity roster.
Last Thursday, the varsity-JV hybrid players were split, sending half of the kids to BHS to take on Buffalo’s developing squad, leaving Toward with just 13 players for a varsity contest.
On top of the numbers challenge, the Lumberjacks stood across arguably their most formidable foe this season. Buffalo returned 10 seniors from last year’s runner-up section-tournament finish along with seven juniors. Bemidji has just seven juniors and seniors combined.
Nobody told the Lumberjacks the cards were stacked against them.
With near-80-degree temperatures on the sun-soaked surface tucked behind the trees at BMS, the Jacks scored twice in the opening 12 minutes to take a 2-0 lead, stunning this year’s 8-3A favorites out of the gates.
From there, Bemidji put forth a
memorable team effort.
Buffalo’s attack garnered 17 shots on target, with several seeing-eye strikes thwarted away by senior keeper Kellen Heuer. Toward “parked the bus,” putting nine players in the defending third for the majority of the final 65 minutes en route to a 2-2 tie.
On paper, there’s hardly anything remarkable about a draw, especially one that comes before student-athletes return to class. But given the context, it was easily the best thing I saw last week.
By the end of the game, the only Bemidji players who could sub out were those experiencing cramps. Typically, on hotter days, boys and girls soccer games have built-in hydration breaks midway through each half. For some reason, that luxury was not afforded last week at BMS.
While a team clogging its defending third also isn’t uncommon, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that this is a new-look Bemidji team. After 11 seniors departed last year, Toward filled his lineup with 10 sophomores and a freshman, many of whom are rookies at the varsity level.
Fast forward one week, Toward and assistant coach Jeff Mitchell tried a reverse approach. Attempting to keep the game close, they hoped they could push for the win in the final 10 minutes while preserving stamina throughout the
fixture against Duluth East,
another section-title contender out of 7-3A.
BHS played just 12 players against the Greyhounds.
“We’re one injury away from a real problem,” Toward said. “I don’t want to say it would be a catastrophe, but if we were to lose Jerron (Huseby), Kellen, Austin (Riewer), Gabe (Morin) or any of these starters, we have a big problem.”
Toward knocked on wood as he spoke on his potential concern for injuries, but he also praised the composure of his vast group of underclassmen.
For kids getting their first taste of varsity sports, they realize the game is faster than it’s ever been for them. With that, implementing a game plan becomes harder.
Through it all, the Jacks have shown immeasurable poise, along with heart.
“Heart is going to take them as far as it can,” Toward said. “We aren’t real deep, but we’re smart. We play well and we’re positioned well, but we’re not real technical. It’s one thing to get beat by a team that’s more technical than you; it’s another thing to lose to a team that has more heart.
“When you can’t rely on your talent, you have to have the work ethic and the heart, and these guys have it. Give these guys credit, they’ve had it in five of our six games so far. Not too bad for a bunch of 15 and 16-year-olds.”
Many BHS players have had to grow up quickly this fall, including the seniors.
Last Thursday, after stopping 14 shots on target, I spoke with Heuer about what I believed to be one of his best performances in his three-year varsity career.
However, I asked him about a moment late in the first half that could’ve spoiled the day. He took a yellow card inside the penalty area, contesting a ball. He collided with an opponent, which raised concern for a head injury. Despite the player being OK, Heuer took accountability.
“I felt like I let my team down,” he said. “That was stupid of me (to take that foul). I put someone else in harm’s way, and I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to hurt people playing a game. I apologized right away and I apologized to my coaches. They told me to shake it off and make it up to the team.”
Instead of complaining about the call, worrying about the score or excusing himself of blame, Heuer showed his humility in the moment. It’s emblematic of a group of kids accepting their situation, which is the purpose of why we play sports.
Sure, it’s an enthralling feeling to win a game, as are the celebratory moments that come with it. But sports are about growth. Sports present moments that give you a chance to develop as a human off the field. Sports are supposed to be challenging; they’re supposed to test your will to get you where you want to go.
The will of the BHS boys soccer team has certainly been tested through six matches this season. But whether it’s a sophomore learning the varsity ropes on the fly or a senior having to grow into a leadership role, the Lumberjacks’ adversity is bringing the best out of them.
