1st |
2nd |
Final |
|
| Hesston | 5 |
3 |
8 |
| Barclay | 0 |
0 |
0 |
1st half: 1 HC Michael Armstrong (unassisted)
11:09; 2 HC Felipe Tafur (Eric Bixler) 19:13, 3 HC Jared Widmer (Brett
Brand) 41:20, 4 HC Brandon Davis (Brett Brand) 43:31; 5 HC Eric Bixler
(Brett Brand, Jordan Mast) 44:58
2nd half: 6 HC Alan Peachey (Philip Kauffman); 7 HC
Anthony Warfel (Curtis Yoder); 8 Anthony Warfel (Curtis Yoder) 84:27
Shots: HC 32 (15 SOG); BC 2 (2SOG)
Saves: HC 0 James Ward, 2 Michael Armstrong;
BC 7 Michael Haffner
Yellow Cards: none
Red Cards: none
Coach's Summary:
Not just a perfect evening and perfect weather for a soccer game but
also a festive evening. The evening featured lots of activities including
Hesston women's soccer freshmen vs. sophomore game (freshmen 1, sophomores
4), barbeque chicken cookout, mechanical bull riding, and a live band
for entertainment. But that was all preludes to the night's feature
event: Hesston Men's Soccer vs. Barclay College.
The fact that this was Hesston's last
regular season home game was not lost on the many fans present and especially
not on the players. The Larks came ready to play. From the first whistle
Hesston went on the attack. Several attempts early on goal were either
just off goal or thwarted by the strong play of Barclay's keeper, Michael
Haffner. "Their goalkeeper played really well in the beginning
of the game. He did a good job to stop a one-on-one breakaway early
and deflected the ball wide a few times. I was impressed."
With all the pressure that the Larks
put on goal in the opening minutes it took until the eleventh minute
for the Larks to get on the board. Michael Armstrong drilled a strong
free kick from the right side 35 yards out into the far corner of the
net. The next goal came eight minutes later. With some strong play by
Eric Bixler and Brett Brand, the Larks were finding space down the left
side of the pitch. Bixler's driven cross from the left side nineteen
minutes into the game went to the only player on the pitch tall enough
to get it, Felipe Tafur. The 6'6" forward redirected the ball nicely
past a sprawling Haffner.
Hesston continued to attack but Haffner was strong in the net. It looked
like the half would end 2-0, but then the Larks picked it up a notch.
Brand's constant pressure down the left side and creative play finally
paid off twice in a two-minute span. Brand's nicely placed crosses found
the feet of both Jared Widmer and Brandon Davis to put the Larks up
4-0 with just about 5 minutes left in the half. But Hesston was not
going to stop there. Two strong shots by Jordan Mast and Brett Brand
both banged off the posts before Bixler finished off the series to put
Hesston up 5-0 to end the half.
"People looking at the first half score
will not understand that their keeper actually played really well. We
played well and had lots of opportunities but their goalkeeper kept
them in the game until the final 7 minutes of the half. I was really
pleased with the play from all of our guys. I was worried coming into
this game that we would be over confident having already beaten them
early this season 6-0. But I stressed to the guys that it is especially
important now that we are late into the season that we try to play good,
tough soccer, each and every game. We can not have any let downs now.
And the guys responded. Several players
were playing strong games but I was especially pleased with Brett Brand.
Brett has played well for us all year but at times he can get caught
into repeatedly trying the same things. I have really encouraged him
to be creative and try different ways of attacking defenders. Tonight
he really did that. You could tell that their defenders were really
struggling to handle him. Brett may not have scored any goals but he
had several assists and was probably the most dangerous player on the
field which, considering the strong play of other players like Eric
Bixler, Brandon Davis, Felipe Tafur, and Jared Widmer, that is saying
a lot."
" Half-time was anything but dull.
A pie eating contest and half-time game of local 5th and 6th grade boys
and girls gave the fans more things to cheer about. "It was fun
to have the kids out playing on the field at half-time. Soccer is not
the most popular sport in this town but there is definitely a lot of
interest. Each year there are so many kids that play rec soccer and
more and more kids playing club soccer. It is great to see their excitement
to play. I am sure they enjoyed playing under the lights too. I know
that I am not alone in hoping that someday the high school will get
a soccer program. There are so many talented kids playing soccer it
is a shame not to foster that talent and enthusiasm."
The second half started much the way
the first half did, but Barclay stepped up their play. However, the
Larks continued to play strong as well. In the 59th minute Philip Kauffman
found space down the left side. Kauffman split a nice pass to the top
of the box for Alan Peachey to drill into the back of the net.
"Philip works so hard each and every
time he gets into the game. That was a really nice assist he had. I
know that he would have liked to score a goal himself but scoring goals
is not the only important thing happening on the field. Philip is the
type of player that inspires the rest of the team with his intensity
and hard work."
Anthony Warfel finished off the scoring
for the Larks with two goals scored straight on from outside the eighteen.
Both assisted by timely passes from Curtis Yoder. The first goal from
about 25 yards out into the upper left hand corner and the second one
a blast from the top of the box into the right side of the net.
"The second half we got a little sloppy at times defensively as a team
but overall I was pleased. I do not think we took Barclay lightly. And
really Barclay at times had some good play. Each year and each time
we play them they get better and better.
"It was a fun night. I just hope it is
not our last home game this year. We play Neosho County Community College
on Tuesday. That is our last regional game. We have not played as well
on the road but we will need to play well on Tuesday. Neosho is a strong
team. Like all of our regional opponents they have a lot of team speed
and quickness. We want to finish our regional play strong, but it will
be a difficult task. We will need to come out and play like we have
at home."
The Larks play Neosho County Community
College in Chanute, Kan., on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 at 2:00 p.m.
The Larks finish up the regular season next week with games in Indiana
against Goshen College on October 17 and Tri-State University on October19
(games at 7:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. respectively). Post-season play for
the Larks will either begin Monday October 25 or October 26 (exact time
and place have yet to be determined).