By Wendi Reardon Price
Clarkston News Sports Writer
 Independence Township — The Wolves closed the season with a 2-1 loss to Grand Blanc in the MHSAA Division 1 Girls Soccer District 6 Final at Clarkston High School stadium, June 2.
The first half was scoreless for both teams.
Senior Kate Childers put Grand Blanc on the board five minutes into the second half with an assist from senior Anna Sabo.
The Wolves tied the game with a goal from senior Emerson Wood with 28 minutes remaining in the game.
Less than three minutes later, Childers struck to score her second goal.
“We spoke before the game about Kate and I thought we managed her pretty well for the most part,” said Clarkston Girls Varsity Soccer Head Coach Damian Huffer. “But one set piece and a little lapse defensively and that’s the difference. We had some chances when we got back to 1-1. We had a good 20-minute spell where we looked like we were creating chances. I thought we were going to get the second but it just didn’t happen today. The seniors put so much into the season and the team. Just a tough one to take.”

He added it was a good learning curve and lesson for the underclassmen.
“They handled themselves really well,” he said. “Now that we have been here once hopefully it gives them the hunger to get there again.”
The Wolves won the first round of district playoffs against Swartz Creek on May 26, 6-0. Goals came from Wood, juniors Emma Bradley, Kennedy Mareches, Nicole Lemker and Savannah Kacanowski.
Wood led the team in the district semifinal against Oxford on May 31 with four goals in the 6-2 win.
“It feels good after four years to get to that final,” Wood said. “It’s the first time since I have played on varsity. As a senior watching all the girls come together after all the hard work we have put in this year is finally coming through.”
“We create a lot of chances and it’s really good to see,” Huffer said about the win. “It’s a long season. It’s good to see all the hard work is paying off because it’s a good group of girls.”
Wood scored her first goal less then five minutes into the game to help the Wolves take the lead.
“It was a really good goal,” said Huffer. “Good movement. Great move to take the defender on and then finish. It’s something she has added to her game in the last year.”
With 22:33 remaining in the first half, Oxford tied the game with a goal from sophomore Vivian Cruz with an assist from junior Ella Boyd.
“They started hitting well,” Huffer said. “Either they go up 1-0 or down they never panic and they just keep playing. They try to play out of as many tight situations as possible.”
Wood brought the Wolves back into the lead in the next four minutes with two goals. Her second goal for the game rolled into the corner of the net with 20:26 left in the half. She was assisted on the goal by senior Ava Bechtell.
“The second and the third goals were big,” said Huffer.
Wood’s next goal was made with 18:27 remaining to close the first half, 3-1.
“She’s been on fire,” Huffer said, adding their leading scorer senior Micaela Hohlbein tore her ACL before the season. “Emerson’s taken on the mantle of leading scorer and just being a leader. Just watching her run onto those. She goes. She can go through two to three gears. I don’t think we have seen her at full speed which is scary to think about. Her finishing has really improved as well. She is one of the most gifted athletes we’ve had. The balance is good. The momentum is good. They are on a roll.”
Wood added her fourth goal with 29:58 left in the game. Just over three minutes later junior Macie Moscovic put the Wolves up 5-1 with her goal.
The next goal fame from Oxford senior Alexandria Dawood with 23 minutes remaining in the game.
Bechtell closed the night with a shot to the top of the net to finish the game 6-2 with six minutes left in the game.
The Wolves finished the season with an overall 12-10 record.
Emerson shared the season started off rocky being in the OAA Red league.
“We didn’t feel prepared for it,” she said. “We had a couple big losses at the beginning of the season. Then, everything just fell into place as we moved forward and really changing that formation helped a lot because we adapted more to it. It’s nice to finally push all of that through together.”

  district playoffs, Soccer