ROCHESTER >> Fifth-ranked Rochester Adams dispatched No. 10 Utica Eisenhower 4-0 in Saturday afternoon’s D1 district final, handing the Highlanders their third title in as many seasons.

After the first 20 minutes were fairly even, Adams began to assert control. The Highlanders’ first goal came via penalty kick with Alex Rosin slotting one in with 15:17 left in the opening half.

The Eagles started accumulating yellow cards, and when Eisenhower was booked for a red card with 8:07 to play in the first half, things really began to unravel for them.

The Highlanders scored less than a minute after Ike went down to 10 men when Salvatore Dinoto received a throw in, spun toward the middle of the field, and uncorked a shot from the left wing that wove its way through traffic and found the far side of the net for a 2-0 Highlanders’ lead.

“At the end of the day, it’s about being disciplined,” Eagles head coach Mehrdad Nekoogar said. “You can’t go with 10 players and play a team that is very good. Unfortunately, it was one of those things that we were guilty of. So we’re going to have to take it, and hopefully, it’s a lesson learned for a lot of these young men that in the future, if you want to compete and have your best game, you’re going to have to be more disciplined, and we weren’t disciplined today, and it cost us.”

That took most of the drama out of the game, and an early second-half goal from Rosin removed any doubt.

From there, the Highlanders simply managed the game. While they took their share of cards as well, they never did anything that gave the Eagles a chance to get back in the game.

“I’m happy overall with our guys’ composure. We talked about that a lot. They handled it as best they could, and I thought they played well today,” Adams head coach Josh Hickey said.

Eventually, Dario Cusumano completed the scoring late, and the Adams’ defense behind the play of Anthony Piacentini, Owen Dekraker, and Jameson Smith in the middle of the field saw the game out against what would eventually be a nine-man Eagles’ squad.

Highlanders goalies Reid Dennis and Sam Beach combined on the shutout in net.

With the win, Adams improves to 14-2-4 overall and will move on to face Oakland Activities Association Red Division foe Troy on Tuesday night in Berkley. Adams, who also defeated Eisenhower in last year’s district final before falling to Troy Athens in regionals, won the regular season matchup with the Colts, 1-0, back on Sept. 17.

“We see Troy, and they’re good. So we’re going to have to really get prepared,” Hickey said. “It’ll be a good one. We won the first battle, but it was back and forth in typical OAA Red fashion. So I’m just expect it to be a good game. Both teams can win it for sure, and it’s going to be a battle.”

Eisenhower finishes the year 14-2-3 and Macomb Area Conference Red Division Champions.

“It was a great season,” Nekoogar said. “Maybe they learn going forward in the future.”