The Waunakee boys’ soccer team is on the cusp of breaking through.

In their two games this week, first in a Badger crossover against Milton and later in their Badger North opener against Baraboo, the Warriors’ games ended in tie scores.

Waunakee 1,

Milton 1

Waunakee started with good pressure to start at their away game in Milton on Tuesday. The Warriors got off several shots in the first 15 minutes. Cole Kettner sent a nice ball to Sam Acker who was just wide right. Hudson Miller battled for control and got off a shot that was also wide right. Shortly afterward, Carson Ejzak found Nathan Mais, who flicked it backwards to Mason Miller for a shot that just missed.

Milton responded with pressure of their own, but Blake Mueller, Cole Fetters, and goalie Sullivan Schwitters held off the attackers.

Just before the half, Hudson Miller snuck a great through-ball to Acker, who got by the defense and put the shot into the net. As has happened several times this year, the goal was called back for a Waunakee foul, and the half ended scoreless.

The pace picked up in the second half as both teams threatened to score. Early on, Jacob Mouille found Chris Laack who hit Mais. Mais’s shot was saved by the goalie. Milton followed with a breakaway. Nick Ohm made two great saves: the initial shot and the rebound.

Waunakee finally got on the board in the 66th minute. Casey Fischer hit Acker down the left side who found Brennen Miller in front of the goal. Miller collected the ball and buried the shot to put Waunakee up 1-0.

Both defenses tightened up as the game wore on, with few scoring opportunities.

With just six minutes to go, Milton had a breakaway. A Waunakee slide tackle in the box resulted in a penalty kick, which Milton converted to tie game. The Warriors last-chance header by Brennen Miller whose header went off the top post, and the game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Just two days later, the Warriors hosted Baraboo in their conference opener.

Waunakee 0,

Baraboo 0

Waunakee encountered some early pressure by having the ball in their end most of the first 10 minutes of their game against Baraboo. As the game wore on, both teams battled back and forth with neither finding good chances.

Baraboo had an abundance of free kicks, but the defense held with Ohm easily saving any on goal. Waunakee had several chances late in the half from Laack, Laemmrich, Ejzak, Brennen Miller and Mais, but Waunakee just couldn’t convert their chances and find the back of the net.

Baraboo’s main offense in the second half was free kicks. Both Ohm and Schwitters were able to collect any free kicks sent their way, and Baraboo never really threatened.

Midway through the half, Ejzak sent a Waunakee free kick into the box. It went off the goalie and into the net, but once again, the Warriors had the goal called back for interference.

The Warriors kept the pressure on the rest of the game. Nathan Dresen drove deep up the middle and fed Laemmrich whose great shot was saved by the goalie. Waunakee earned several free kicks outside the box in the last five minutes but couldn’t find the back of the net and the game ended in a scoreless tie.

JV White

Waunakee 8,

McFarland 2

The Warriors scored three goals in four minutes to jump out to a 3-0 lead early against McFarland. Decker Storch had the first, and Dimitriy Govorukha had the next two. After AJ Beery’s goal in the 41st minute made it 4-0, McFarland broke the shutout just before halftime to make it 4-1.

Waunakee’s intensity remained strong in the second, as Storch scored in the 50th minute on an assist from Govorukha. A minute later, Jackson Hernandez scored on an assist from Storch.

Up 6-1, Storch would score one more time, and Lavold would put the last goal on the board for the Warriors as they cruised to their 8-2 win.

Storch had a huge game, scoring three goals and racking up three more assists.

JV Purple

Waunakee 5,

Milton 0

Everything was working for the Warriors as they won their game against Milton. After first by forcing an own-goal, Max Christian made the next goal and Tommy Komar made the third. It was a team effort as the Warriors continued scoring with Jackson Turner and Lane Miller scoring the last two goals. Goalie Joey Fuhremann made one save on the game, which was good enough to secure a shutout.

Waunakee 8,

Baraboo 0

Six and a half minutes in, Trent Jarvi’s corner kick to Alex Hoopes scored the first goal, and Waunakee was off. Four minutes later Joe Thompson scored the second goal. At minute 22, Josh Galgon scored once, and Joe Thompson twice in the first half to give Waunakee a 5-0 lead at halftime.

Waunakee picked up in the second half where they left off, scoring goals from Lee, Charlie Fischer, and Thompson. Danny Ziegler had one save to preserve the shutout for the Warriors.