Hard-fought draw

Plymouth Christian Academy excels in 1-all draw with Lutheran Westland

  Adversity brought out the best in the Plymouth Christian Academy boys soccer team Tuesday afternoon in a Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Red Division game against powerful Lutheran Westland.
Following a well-played, scoreless first half, LW scored five minutes into the second half to gain a 1-0 advantage.
  However, the Eagles rebounded 10 minutes later when Travis DeKruyter ignited a rally with a long throw in that was controlled by Blair Robinson, who headed the ball to Dan Ross.
  Ross then maneuvered into scoring range before sliding the ball past the LW keeper to knot the game at 1-all.
  The two teams eventually played a pair of 10-minute overtimes, but the game ended in a 1-1 tie when both defenses rose to the occasion.
  "Overall, I think we outshot them 26-18, and we had four pretty easy opportunities in the second half and the overtimes," said PCA coach Larry Machonga. "We just couldn't finish at the end. Overall, I thought the boys played very well. Lutheran Westland has a very good team."
  On Monday, when the initial 2009 state rankings were released by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association, the Eagles found out they had earned "honorable mention status" in Division 4. Ann Arbor Greenhills, also a member of the MIAC Red, is ranked No. 1 in the state in D4.