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56ers find finishing boots (and heads), flatten Twin Stars

06/03/2013, 1:00am CDT
By ERIC ANDERSON
Madison 56ers NPSL

Just five minutes into Sunday's match against the Minnesota Twin Stars, the Madison 56ers had created two good scoring chances.

For most coaches, that would be a good sign. But 56ers coach Jim Launder was concerned about what came of the opportunities - nothing.

"I thought, 'Man, we could be in trouble,' " said Launder, who was frustrated with his team's lack of finishing in a shutout loss to the Milwaukee Bavarians on Friday night. "I was thinking, this could be a replay."

Launder didn't need to worry.

Striker Carlos McCrary scored on a header in the 23rd minute to get things started, and midfielder Trevor Banks (Madison Memorial) had two assists in his first match with the team since 2011 as the 56ers blitzed the Twin Stars 5-0 in a National Premier Soccer League match in Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Center back Matt Balshaw, forwards Jed Hohlbein (Middleton/UW) and Jade Johnson and midfielder Jack Keeling also scored as Madison (2-1-0) bounced back after the 1-0 loss to the Bavarians.

"I thought we played very well," Launder said. "There were some really good build-up goals and very good play leading up to the goals. We played real solid defense, in terms of checking back, helping out, getting into positions. Structurally, we played very well overall."

McCrary nodded home a cross from Keenan Newallo to open the scoring, and nearly scored on another header minutes later but was denied by what Launder deemed a "brilliant save" by the Twin Stars' goalkeeper.

But Balshaw did make it 2-0 before the break, finishing off a set-piece sequence. A quick free kick was played to University of Wisconsin left back Carl Schneider (Madison La Follette), who promptly played a long cross. Banks flicked the ball back across the goal, where Balshaw headed in his second goal of the season.

Banks also set up Madison's third goal about 10 minutes into the second half before being subbed out, making a run down the sideline and slotting in a ball that Hohlbein slammed into the net for his 59th career goal - extending his team record.

"He got in a really good week of practice and we didn't play him against Bavarians, so he was fresh," Launder said of Banks, a three-time All-NPSL Midwest Region selection who played with the team from its inception in 2005 until last year.

"He's a good player, he has to get kind of a little bit of his jets back. ... He knows that's he's not exactly right there yet. He even said to me at halftime, 'I think if you can get me off, I'm a little bit gassed.' "

Hohlbein, who sat out Friday's match to rest a sore hamstring, followed Banks to the bench. Johnson came on for him and picked up his first goal for the 56ers about 10 minutes later.

He got a pass from Keeling, his teammate at Jamestown (N.D.), kept the ball after an attempted tackle by a defender and worked around the Minnesota keeper to make it 4-0.

Keeling finished off the scoring in the final quarter of an hour, running onto a ball lofted over the Twin Stars backline by left back Chris Brown (McFarland/UW-Platteville) and finishing for his first of the season.

UW-Milwaukee keeper Ryan Onwukwe, who hails from nearby Crystal, Minn., posted his second clean sheet in as many league matches this season. Launder said Onwukwe had to make one big save, that coming with the match still scoreless after a poor pass into the middle of the field led to a "very good shot" by the home side.

"He had to make a stretching, diving save to his right and did it real well," Launder said of Onwukwe.

The victory allowed the 56ers to keep pace with the Quad City Eagles (6-0-0) in the Midwest Region's Central Division - the Iowa side came up with stoppage-time game-winners in both of their matches this weekend, beating host Minnesota 3-2 on Saturday and visiting Milwaukee 2-1 on Sunday.

"Since Quad City keeps winning, every game's a big one," Launder said.

Madison returns home next weekend, playing host to Eau Claire Aris (0-3-0) on Friday and the Twin Stars (0-4-0) on Saturday at Breese Stevens Field. Kickoff is 7 p.m. both nights. Quad City's next match is June 15 against the 56ers at Breese Stevens.

MADISON 56ERS: Ryan Onwukwe; Carl Schneider (Chris Brown), Matt Balshaw, Bryan Minogue, Dominic O'Connor; Ryan Buda (Claudiu Aionesei), Keenan Newallo (Max Campos), Jack Keeling, Trevor Banks (Derek Pitts); Carlos McCrary (Luke Jenner), Jed Hohlbein (Jade Johnson). Substitute not used: Max Jentsch (GK).

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