Soccer Game Report
Hesston vs. Neosho County, Sept. 27, 2003, Hesston

   1st   2nd  Final
Neosho County   
1
2
3
Hesston   
3
2
5


1st half: 1 HC Craig Mast (assist Mark Yoder); 1 NC Ivan Coco Jr. (unassisted); 2 HC Raul Martinez (assist Craig Mast); 3 HC Philip Hartzler (unassisted)

2nd half: 2 NC Bryan Villela; 4 HC Zack Miller (assist Raul Martinez); 5 HC Craig Mast (penalty kick); 3 NC Angel Aguirre (unassisted)

Shots: HC 13 (11 SOG); NC 18 (13 SOG)

Saves: HC 10 Danny Yoder; NC 6 Ian Thomson & Justin Seever

Yellow cards: HC Brett Brand; NC 4 Angel Aquirre, Rueben Barerra (2), Coach

Red cards: Rueben Barerra (2 yellow cards)

Coach's Summary: The Larks first afternoon home game had all the atmosphere of their home night games. The large homecoming crowd gave the Larks added energy for their match against Region VI foe Neosho County Community College. Hesston was looking to end a five-game losing skid which included two overtime loses. Neosho on the other hand was just looking for their first win. “Although Neosho hadn’t won a game yet I knew that they would still be a tough team. They have some dangerous players just like any of our opponents in the region. They’ve played a very tough schedule and still had some close games. I was hoping that we could get an early goal and catch them a little down.”
      Coach Sharp got his wish as the Larks scored 10 minutes into the match. Mark Yoder calmly brought the ball down the right side, sent a nicely driven ball into the box, which Craig Mast redirected nicely into the corner of the net. Neosho countered quickly as Ivan Coco Jr sliced through the Lark defense and pounded the ball past a diving Danny Yoder. “I was excited that we got the early goal but disappointed that we allowed them to cut through us they way they did. I was worried that this game was going to look like our Allen County game where we scored first and then gave up 3 weak goals.”
      The play went back and forth with the Larks getting the better of the possession. The Larks efforts would pay off 35 minutes into the first half when Craig Mast bent a nice corner kick in and off the far side of the crossbar. The ball caromed off to an onrushing Raul Martinez who made quick work to head the ball past the keeper. “The second goal was a real momentum boost. I felt that we did a good job moving the ball around and creating more attack. It was nice to see our team rebound from the disappointment of the tying goal earlier. The wind was really wreaking havoc with the ball which made it difficult on the keepers.”
      But the Larks weren’t done. Just three minutes later the Larks were awarded a free kick from 30 yards out on the left side of the field. Philip Hartzler sent a hard bending ball into the far side of the net. “Philip has such a powerful boot. He makes it look effortless too. We’re trying to find ways to get him more involved in the attack but he’s such a vital part of our defense that it’s hard for him to find the time (and sometimes energy) to make those overlapping runs.”
      NC looked like they were going to draw one back when Gustavo Hernandez found himself on a break away. However, Yoder was quick to come off his line and deflect the shot wide of the post. “Breakaways are something Danny has really improved on. Last year he was a little timid but not any more. That was a big time save.”
      Neosho County certainly did not have the look of a team that was going to give up. NC came out the second half more determined and got back one goal when Bryan Villela finished off a ball that rebounded off the post just five minutes into the second half. But the Larks would not be shaken. Just a couple of minutes later the Larks were looking at another set piece just outside the 18. Raul Martinez bent the ball over the wall and off the post. The ball quickly rebounded to an opportunistic Zack Miller who ripped a cracker past the keeper. “Our guys did a nice job today of crashing the goal after shots and it paid off on three of our goals.”
      Hesston, still hungry for goals, went searching for more. A few minutes after their fourth goal Raul Martinez was brought down in the box. Craig Mast made neat work of the penalty kick to make the score 5–2. Neosho was struck a further blow when Reuben Barerra was given his second yellow card of the game and sent off. “I’m always nervous when the other team gets a player red carded. The other teams knows they have to play harder being down a man and it’s easy for our players to think that this is going to make our job easier. I try to stress to our guys that they have to play as if the other team has 11 so that there is no let down.”
      NC did pick up their play and were now finding cracks in the Hesston defense. With 20 minutes still remaining in the game Neosho found the back of the net again as Angel Aquirre slipped through the back and placed the ball nicely past Yoder. The goal seemed to inspire both teams as now the ball was moving end to end. Hesston was finding lots of space in the midfield and using it to put pressure on the backs.
      Hesston would hold their lead thanks to some better possession and some outstanding play by goalkeeper Danny Yoder. “The thing that most people are going to miss when they don’t see our team play live is the outstanding job Danny is doing in goal. He continues to make fantastic saves in virtually every game. I’d say the only let down for him might be the game against Barton, but nobody played well that day. He is easily one of the best keepers in the region. I know I’m biased but I’d put him up against anyone. We’re just giving other teams too many shots on goal and there are lots of reasons for that not the least of which is the outstanding play of our opponents.”
      “Overall I was pleased with the game. It was nice to get another victory. We really are coming along offensively, but defensively as a team we’re allowing our opponents too much space in the middle of the field. We need to put the kind of defensive effort together that we showed against KCK and combine that with some better possession. Then we’ll give ourselves a chance to beat anyone. I was really impressed with the play of Eric Bixler today. His name doesn’t appear on the score sheet but he really did a good job of opening things up for his teammates. Several players really had great performances today offensively. Craig Mast did a good job of being in the right place at the right time and helping us possessing the ball. Philip Hartzler’s free kicks give us a legitimate chance of scoring either directly or indirectly from anywhere inside the attacking half. I thought offensively other players really stepped up their game today. We’re getting our backs more involved, which is giving us more dynamic play. The guys really played hard today. Some were too exhausted to even look excited after the win. I’m really proud of these guys and the effort they put into practice and games. We’re still experimenting with guys in different positions. We know that everything points to the regional tournament. As long as were playing our best soccer then, anything can happen.”