By Mike Moore
JTV Sports Writer
BEVERLY HILLS — These are supposed to be close games, battles back and forth that come down to the final moments, overtime, or ever later than that.
A battle it certainly was, but close, well, not Tuesday night.
Not with the kind of soccer the Lumen Christi boys are playing right now.
The Titans kept their magical season rolling right along, making the lengthy trip to Beverly Hills for a Division 3 regional semifinal, and then exiting with a 4-0 shocker over Detroit Country Day.
“Shocked to win like this,” Lumen coach Damon Havlicek said simply, afterwards. “At this point in the season you expect it to be 1-0. Nobody expects to win 4-0.”
Bryce Hoornstra scored all three goals in the first half for the Titans.
Lucas Foust added the only goal in the second frame.
“That set the tone for the rest of the night,” Hoornstra said of the early goals. “It’s huge.”
His tallies stunned the crowd at Country Day, most of whom had succumb to blankets, winter coats and hats.
Those in Lumen gear had a slightly easier time staying warm.
“This is what happens in sports sometimes,” Country Day coach Bob Bukari said. “It just wasn’t a good performance by us tonight.”
Bukari said the three early goals took the wind of his teams sails.
“It’s just huge,” he added. “I mean, you give up one, and as a team you can bounce back. But when they get three like that, it just kills you.”
On Monday, Havlicek downplayed his team’s district title from the weekend, instead shifting all focus to the semifinal and a chance to move to the regional title, something this group of players had never done.
On Tuesday, he downplayed the semifinal victory, instead shifting all focus to the final.
“The next step is what we’re worried about now,” he said. “Our goal has always been November. Now the challenge is on us to keep this going.”
Lumen, 17-3-1, faces Grosse Ile in a 6 p.m. final Friday back at Country Day.
Grosse Ile (13-4-4) beat Allen Park Cabrini 2-1 Tuesday night.