The challenge of mid-season success beyond one’s anticipation is the void of accomplishment.

That’s where the Lowell boys soccer team finds itself.

Yes, the Lowell boys’ soccer team is 11-0-1, atop the O-K White, and ranked second in the state in Division 2, but what does that get it? Absolutely nothing. No conference championship, no district title, no deep run into the playoffs.

The great start gives hope to rising expectations and nothing more.

The carrot, is there’s still a lot to accomplish, and Red Arrow soccer coach Rich O’Keefe and his players seemingly understand that.

“We know nothing has been accomplished yet and this group of players remains grounded and understands what needs to be done each game to achieve a good outcome,” O’Keefe said. “They understand the outcome of a game is the direct result of playing to one’s capabilities,  remaining  committed to the system, and playing with an unselfishness.”

Through 12 games Lowell has averaged 4.5 goals a game while allowing just one goal per game.

The Red Arrows list of wins includes wins over Rockford, Grand Rapids Christian, and East Grand Rapids.

O’Keefe labels the win over Christian as the indicator game. “That win showed where this team is at. It showed the boys’ ability to persevere in a difficult situation, to continue to work hard in a tough situation,” Lowell’s coach explained.

The schedule that lies ahead is as daunting as the list of victories that preceded it were impressive.

Lowell has a non conference game against, Forest Hills Central,  one of West Michigan’s top soccer programs. It is the last opportunity on the schedule to  make a statement against a successful, bigger school.

‘It is an important game and will be another indicator of where we are as a program,” O’Keefe said.

The game against the Rangers is the first of a rugged four-game slate that will determine supremacy in the O-K White. Following its game with FHC, Lowell will begin round two of conference play against Christian, EGR and Northview.

The start has definitely been fun. With fun has come a little more pressure to solidify the mid-season success and punctuate it with the measurables… a conference title and a lengthy post-season run.

Lowell 2, Zeeland East 1

A Division 1 goalie performance nearly erased a well played game by Lowell.

“Zeeland bent but didn’t break. When it did break, their goalie made six outstanding stops,” said Lowell soccer coach Rich O”Keefe.

The Red Arrows scored the game’s first goal when Tyler Pawlowski creased the net on an assist from Joe Sweet.

Zeeland tied the game in the second half on a goal from Nicco Catotosto.

The game’s winning goal was recorded when Kyle Bowers found Spencer Lyon for Lowell’s game-winning goal.

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The game was what everyone thought it would be — a close, highly contested game between two of the O-K White’s  best.

The final score, 1-1, did not satisfy either club as they walked off the field Thursday night at Northview following the overtime stalemate.

Lowell entered the game undefeated (8-0), coming off wins against Grand Rapids Christian and East Grand Rapids.

The Red Arrows (8-0-1, 2-0-1) for the first time this year appeared to be playing on it heels. It had much to do with playing  against the defending Division 2 state champion Wildcats.

Northview (5-1-3, 2-0-1) put up the game’s first goal at 25:36 of the first half when Austin Harris creased the Lowell net. The Wildcat lead was short lived as Matt Kyllonen took advantage of a Northview defensive miscue and tied the game at 1-1 nine seconds after the Wildcats scored.

“Northview moved the ball well in the first half, and had us back on our heels. We made some adjustments at halftime, and got into the flow and felt more comfortable in the second half,” Lowell soccer coach Rich O’Keefe said. “I thought it was a pretty evenly played game,” Red Arrows coach Rich O’Keefe said. We had some opportunities, and they had some opportunities as well.”

The Wildcats, start three sophomores and are beginning to play some of their best soccer nine games into the season.

“This is by far the best we have played,” said Northview coach Karl Johnson, whose team starts only two seniors. “Our possession was great, our passing was good and our team defense was fantastic. The boys just keep building and playing better.”

The two teams will get an opportunity to settle the score in Lowell when they meet again on Oct. 6.

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Pace and flow created enough good opportunities in lifting Lowell boys soccer team to a 4-1 win over East Grand Rapids Tuesday night.

The win was also the Red Arrows eighth straight to start the season.

“For the most part we were comfortable in our play. We had a nice pace and flow, creating early opportunities,” Lowell soccer coach Rich O’Keefe explained. “It enabled us to score some early goals and put East on its heels.”

The Red Arrows (8-0, 2-0) will have little time to savor the win with a road game against defending conference champion and Division 2 state champion, Northview.

Defensively, Lowell was able to apply high and immediate pressure against the Pioneers, slowing down their transition attacks.

“The challenge is for us to do that for 80 minutes. We’ve done it in spurts,” O’Keefe said. ‘We need to continue to get better.”

A key element of that was the defensive play of senior Matt Kyllonen.

O”Keefe, though, was impressed with the play of the entire defensive line of Matt Hogenboom, Will Athmann (center) and outside defenders Grant Brueker,Alex Heffron and Sean Kohdl. “They all played well,” he said.

Kyllonen on an assist from Jeremy Wodarek got Lowell on the board first with a goal.

Shortly after, Alex Ligman followed with the game’s second goal on an assist from Spencer Lyon.

The 2-0 Red Arrow advantage stood up till half time.

East Grand Rapids gained some footing prior to half and early in the second half with its pressure. The Pioneers cut the deficit to one when Graham Pickett on a feed from Evan Groenink creased the Lowell net.

‘Your only going to hold a team like East down for so long,” O’Keefe said.

The Red Arrows regained its pace and netted the game’s last two goals.

Kyllonen posted his second  goal of the game on an assist from Joe Sweet. The two seniors teamed up again in the second half, this time Kyllonen assisted Sweet.

“Our goal is not to be undefeated. It’s to compete every night, win the conference and to play well in the tourney,” O’Keefe concluded.

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