Injuries dampens end of Byron’s regular season

What was generally a dominant regular season by the Byron boys soccer team, ended rough, after a number of its top players were injured.
It began in its game against Cannon Falls on Sept. 24, when Jackson Fink, Jaxon Boynton, Isaiah McMahon, and Braden Wytaske all suffered injuries. 
“Over the weekend, Boynton and Brayden Olson were also injured outside of soccer,” Head Coach Dave Bahr wrote in an email. “Another solid starter Lucas McLean has been ill all week and Forward Jack Ende missed some time.  Added together, the team was extremely short handed headed into St Charles Tuesday and PIZM Thursday.”
In its game against St. Charles, Goalkeeper gave up three goals off of 16 shots on net, as St. Charles won 3-0. Byron only had two shots in the game.
“This was the first time this season Byron had been shut out in a game,” Bahr said.
In its game against PIZM who is on the top of the conference, the conference champion title was on the line “so the incentive was very high,” Bahr said.
“ Two new players, Collin Pankratz and Lucas Moreira were brought up to provide some reinforcements but the team fielded only 15 uninjured players,” Bahr said.
PIZM ended up winning the game 4-1 and BNyron ended the season 8-3-2 which was good enough for third place.  Brady Boyken  scored the only goal for Byron. It was the first time all season Byron gave up more than three goals, Bahr noted.
“Given the external circumstances of injuries and tough competition, I was very proud of the intensity and dedication the remaining players showed to fight through the obstacles,” Bahr said as his team heads into playoff action.
On a positive note Bahr said  ‘Fortunately, some of the injured players start to return as Playoffs begin next Tuesday.”