By Teddy Rydquist

Leader Sports Writer

BEVERLY HILLS – The Oxford Wildcats boys’ soccer team finished 2-1 in the 42nd Annual Paul Bartoshuk Detroit Country Day School Invitational Tournament, good for a fifth-place finish in the event.

Winners of their first trip in 2016, this was Oxford’s fourth year in a row participating in the pre-league play tournament.

“We look forward to this tournament every year,” head coach John Thayer said. “Great work hosting by Detroit Country Day.”

Featuring eight teams – three each from the Oakland Activities Association and the Macomb Area Conference, plus one from the Catholic League and Country Day’s status as an independent – the action began at noon on Friday, August 23 when Country Day beat Farmington.

The Wildcats kicked off their weekend at 2 p.m. on Friday by beating Warren Mott, 7-0. Scoring three goals in the first fifteen minutes of the match, Oxford took a comfortable 3-0 lead into halftime.

Led by junior Zach Townsend’s five goals, the Wildcats continued to pour it on in the second half and junior goaltender Tristan Bennett made a spectacular save on Warren Mott’s Keegan Sherwood with ten minutes left to preserve the shutout.

Senior Nick Morawski and junior Marco Artero also each added a goal in the rout.

Saturday, Aug. 24 would prove to be much more of a challenge for the Wildcats.

Facing the Lutheran North Mustangs in a semifinal matchup, neither team could generate any action as it was 0-0 at the half.

Mustang senior David Mueller recorded the first tally of the game with 28 minutes left and that would be enough as Lutheran North held on for the victory, 1-0.

Oxford had a free kick with 35 seconds remaining that would have tied the game, but it was not to be.

Due to this loss, the Wildcats fell just short of the championship game and drew Country Day in the fifth-place game.

The reigning Division II state champions, the Yellowjackets are a very young team this year as just four of their 25 players are seniors. Still, they are a program that boasts fifteen state championships, so beating them has some clout.

For the second straight game, the Wildcats entered the half tied at zero. Junior Pedro Bottene got the team on the board with just under 28 minutes remaining thanks to a mishandle from the Country Day netminder.

Morawski added two goals less than seven minutes apart to extend the lead to 3-0 with about ten minutes to play. Junior Josh Gust helped the Yellowjackets at least get on the board by slipping one past Bennett with 6:25 left.

Artero added one more to push the score to its final, 4-1.

Narrowly missing out on two shutouts in the three-game span, Bennett is off to an excellent start this season. An All-League performer a year ago, he looks to have great odds to receive repeat honors this year.

“We played well,” Thayer said of the weekend.

“We only gave up two goals and scored 11. It was great to play some excellent teams in our region.”

Oxford was slated to begin OAA play on Aug. 27 by hosting Farmington. The Wildcats will take a trip to Troy High School to square off against the Colts on Thursday, Aug. 29. Game time is 7 p.m.