CEC boys soccer team still unbeaten

Call it skill, call it talent, call it what you want. But the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys soccer team is for real this fall. They have yet to lose.

The Lumberjacks buried two second-half goals Friday afternoon, as they broke a tie and pulled away from Lake Superior Conference rival Duluth Denfeld for a 4-3 victory at Bromberg Field in Cloquet.

Still unbeaten, CEC now stands 3-0-1 this season.

Against the Hunters, the Lumberjacks scored first on Cloquet sophomore defenseman Ben Vuicich’s quick strike roughly 20 minutes into the match.

With the contest later tied, Cloquet senior forward Landen Straub turned the tides by taking the ball 50 yards down field and netting a go-ahead goal with just three seconds left on the game clock.

That said, the captain gave CEC a 2-1 lead into halftime.

Denfeld then responded quickly with an equalizer within the first two minutes of the second half. With the score then tied 2-2, Cloquet senior midfielder Derek Anderson later pumped in a pair of clutch goals, including a penalty kick, to carry the Lumberjacks — who never once trailed Friday — to their third win in as matches.

CEC senior goalkeeper Jarad Weeks was again the winning netminder between the pipes Friday. Denfeld was paced by JD Foldesi’s pair of goals in the loss.

"Denfeld came to play today, they played well," Cloquet Coach Archie Clark said. "We struggled a little bit today and need to get better defensively and in the midfield. But like I told the boys afterward, 'We found a way to win.' And when you're having a good season, these are the kind of games you look back on."

With the impressive conference victory Friday, the Lumberjacks have now beaten Rosemount, Superior and Denfeld consecutively as they continue to roll. Their lone tie came in their season opener against defending Section 7A champion Proctor.

CEC will next be in action Tuesday evening when they welcome in Eveleth-Gilbert to Hilltop Field at 4:30 p.m.

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 2 – 2 — 4

Duluth Denfeld 1 – 2 — 3

Scoring Summary — First Half — CEC, Ben Vuicich, 20:36; Denfeld, JD Foldesi, 26:14; CEC, Landen Straub, 39:57. Second Half — Denfeld, Pad Dowd, 1:39; CEC, Derek Anderson, 4:29 (Penalty Kick); CEC, Anderson, 15:56; Denfeld, Foldesi, 27:19.

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