Park boys soccer: Wolfpack’s losing streak hits five

The Park boys soccer team lost three games to a few of the state’s better teams last week, to fall to 4-7 overall on the year.

The Wolfpack lost 3-0 to Stillwater and 3-1 to Roseville in two Suburban East Conference matches, before falling 2-1 to Minneapolis Southwest in a non-conference game last week. Park’s losing streak is currently five games.

“We have made it through the most challenging portion of our schedule in facing two top-five teams and a team that was a state qualifier last year,” said Park head coach Jason Arnebeck.

Stillwater is ranked fourth in the Minnesota Class AA rankings and Southwest was ranked in the top 10 in the preseason, while Roseville is 6-3-2 overall on the year.

Ethan Berube scored the lone goal against Roseville with an assist going to Cody Newton. Against Southwest, Josh Moreland netted the Wolfpack’s goal with an assist from Lee Astin.

“Despite our struggles in the results against top flight opponents, we have had stretches in those matches that demonstrate we have the ability to stay with some of the best competition the state has to offer,” Arnebeck said. “As a young team, we are still searching for the consistency necessary to stay with the best. It is usually a mental lapse here or there that winds up beating us.”

The week left Park 2-3 in the Suburban East Conference and in a tie with East Ridge for sixth place in the standings.

“We still have a chance to finish in the top half of the conference if we finish strong in the next two weeks. Offensively we appear to be breaking out of our mid-season slump.”

Park took on White Bear Lake on Tuesday after the Bulletin went to press. Next up, the Wolfpack welcome Hastings to Cottage Grove on Thursday, before Park takes the show on the road – heading to Eau Claire Memorial on Saturday.

“Hastings is our Homecoming coming game so we want to be at our best for our fans,” Arnebeck said. “Saturday’s opponent, Eau Claire Memorial is a team on the verge of cracking the top 10 in Wisconsin with a 12-2-0 record and will pose another section opponent-like atmosphere for us.”

—Patrick Johnson

Tags: sports, soccer, park, wolfpack, prep, updates