By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Sturgis and Niles met on the soccer field twice in the regular season, once in the Big-16 Conference Tournament and, finally, once in the Division 2 District Tournament.
The two teams tied in their first matchup. Sturgis beat Niles in a Big-16 crossover match and then Niles beat the Trojans 4-1 in the league tournament.
Tuesday night, however, in the most important of the four matches, Sturgis stayed alive with a 1-0 win, eliminating Niles and ending the Vikings' season.
Each team managed eight shots on goal but it was the Trojans who got one through.
Five minutes into the second half, Sturgis' T.J. Sanford corralled a loose ball and beat Niles goalkeeper Cory Coquillard.
The Vikings' best chance at a score came in the first half when Sturgis goalkeeper Shane Eagen came out of the goal and Niles forward Evan McCullough had a clear shot. McCullough's shot, however, was knocked down by a Sturgis defender and Eagen recovered in time to prevent another shot.
Niles finished the season with a record of 6-12-1 and won three of its last four games.