Prep soccer: Frey-Geary combo lead Marshall to win over Hermantown

When Duluth Marshall midfielder Doug Frey dribbled into the open field Friday, it was a bad sign for Hermantown.

"He is so deceptive," said Marshall coach Mike Sengbush. "He has a bunch of moves. He can cut, create and find alleys to shoot and pass, especially in the corner [of the field]."

Frey often controlled play and assisted on Jesse Geary's goal in the 11th minute as the Hilltoppers beat Hermantown 3-0 in a Lake Superior Conference high school boys soccer game on a soggy and slippery Corey Veech Field in Hermantown.

Marshall (14-2 overall,

10-1 LSC) separated from

Hermantown (12-3, 9-2) in the conference standings and the upcoming Section 7A seedings, to be released Monday.

"This win was a big one for us," Frey said. "It's good to show we've improved at the end of the year because that is when it's important. Hermantown has showed improvement with wins over [Cloquet-Esko-Carlton and Duluth East] and it was good for us to come in here and get a win."

Marshall controlled play in the first half with many scoring chances starting at Frey's feet.

"We were able to gain the [offensive] zone and we could feed it down there," Sengbush said.

Geary, a midfielder, scored two goals from beyond 30 yards in the first half.

"Geary has a sweet left foot," Sengbush said. "He got his weight behind the ball and put them on net. He has been practicing that for years."

This season, Geary has 8 goals and 12 assists, while Frey has 12 goals and 13 assists.

"Those two guys are above everybody else," Sengbush said of Marshall's senior captains.

In the first half, Marshall goalie Derek Randall made two saves off shots from Hermantown's Danny Strapple.

"In the preseason, I thought Randall and [CEC's Tyler] Marquardt were the top two physically talented goalies," Sengbush said. "[Randall] has all the tools, but he hasn't produced the results and he has let goals in. I hope this gets him going."

In the second half, Hermantown put eight shots on goal and Randall stopped them all for an eighth shutout this season.

"They were able to pressure us more in the second half," Sengbush said. "They really came after us."

Marshall can claim a fourth straight LSC title with a win Tuesday over CEC, but its focus is on a second straight Section 7A title.

"[The CEC] game won't mean as much because the section assignments will already be released," Sengbush said. "A conference title is just that, we want to be ready for sections."

ANDY GREDER covers high school soccer for the News Tribune. He can be reached at (218) 723-5315 or by e-mail at agreder@duluthnews.com .

Duluth Marshall 2-1--3

Hermantown 0-0--0

First half -- 1. Jesse Geary (Doug Frey) 11th minute. 2. Geary (Blake Erickson) 19th.

Second half -- 3. own goal, 56th.

Saves -- Derek Randall, DM, 10. Blake Hewitt, H, 10.