Niles’ Cole Allison had one of eight goals Tuesday night as the host Vikings blanked the Kalamazoo Cougars 8-0 in the final round of the Big 16 Conference Tournament. (Daily Star photo/AMELIO RODRIGUEZ)

By SCOTT NOVAK
Niles Daily Star

Brazilian foreign exchange student Albert Werlang scored a pair of first half goals on “Senior Night” to help lift the host Niles soccer team to an 8-0 win over the Kalamazoo Cougars in the final round of the Big 16 Conference Tournament Tuesday night.

Wergland scored the only two goals of the opening half for the Vikings, who scored six times in the final 38-plus minutes to end the match a shade under two minutes early by the mercy rule.

Scoring in the second half were Cole Allison, Cole Krassow, Derrick Nzabakira, who also had three assists, Jacob Stanage twice and Kyle Johnson.

Allison scored nine minutes into the second half off an assist from Nzabakira to make it a 3-0 contest. Krassow scored two minutes later off an assist from Dustin Wright, while Nzabakira tallied his goal in the 73rd minute of the match.

Stanage scored back-to-back goals in the 74th and 76th minutes, with Nzabakira getting an assist on the second score.

Johnson wrapped up the match in the 79th minute with Niles’ eighth goal.

The Vikings had 25 shots on goal against the Cougars. Niles keeper Derek Arguello was credited with six saves.

“The first 20 minutes of the game we played all our seniors,” Niles coach Jerry Holtgren said. “I have never done that before. But we mixed our line-up to honor those kids because they worked so hard this year. The second half, I talked to the guys and told them I wanted six goals. We need to play at an intensity level that we are going to need on Monday against St. Joe. I thought when we finally got comfortable again we did well.”

Niles will host the Bears in the opening round of the Division 2 District Tournament on Monday at 5 p.m. In other first round games, Edwardsburg will travel to Vicksburg and Sturgis will travel to Three Rivers.

The winner of the Edwardsburg-Vicksburg and Sturgis-Three Rivers matches will play in the semifinals on Oct. 20 at Vicksburg High School at 7 p.m.

The winner of the Niles-St. Joseph match will face Lakeshore at 5 p.m. on Oct. 20.
The championship match is slated for Oct. 23 at 11 a.m.

Kalamazoo…0
Niles…8
Halftime score
Niles 2, Kalamazoo 0

First half
N – Albert Werlang
N – Werlang (Derrick Nzabakira assist)

Second half
N –Cole Allison 49th minute (Nzabakira assist)
N – Cole Krassow 51st minute (Dustin Wright assist)
N – Nzabakira 73rd minute
N – Jacob Stanage 74th minute
N – Stanage 76th minute (Nzabakira assist)
N – Kyle Johnson 79th minute

Shots on goal
Kalamazoo N/A
Niles 25

Saves
Kalamazoo 20
Niles 6 (Derek Arguello)