Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Kewpies Win Opener After Brumit’s Run

By STEVE WALENTIK of the Tribune’s staff
Published Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Larry Thornburg doesn’t believe in waiting for scoring chances to materialize.

The Hickman boys soccer coach expects his players to always be looking to attack, whether they’re playing center forward or are cast in defensive roles.

"I want all of my backs to make runs," Thornburg said. "I expect all of my backs, defensive midfielders, everybody on the team has my permission to dribble forward and go to the goal."

It was that philosophy that sent defensive midfielder Matt Brumit steaming toward the east end of Hickman Field last night. He strong-armed his way through the Jefferson City defense and slipped a shot inside the far post in the seventh minute of the second half for the only goal in Hickman’s 1-0 season-opening victory.

"I saw an opportunity down the side, so I made the run," Brumit said. "I don’t remember how it happened. All I know is I got the ball on my left foot and saw the angle for the shot. I took it, and it went in."

He looked like a natural goal scorer with the way he beat Jays goalkeeper Colby Stuart. But Brumit scored only once last year and until recently had expected to open his senior season as the team’s sweeper.

"It was a great individual effort on that kid’s part," Jefferson City Coach Eddie Horn said. "I think he ran through about three tackles."

Brumit wasn’t the first Hickman player to come face-to-face with Stuart. Hickman generated scoring chances most of the night.

With a longer-than-usual wait to open the season, the Kewpies didn’t waste much time before jumping on the attack against the Jays.

Hickman (1-0) didn’t carve up Jefferson City (1-2) with precision passing. The Kewpies simply outfought the Jays for nearly every loose ball and kept it in Jefferson City territory for most of the first half.

"It was a very physical game," Horn said. "In my mind, it wasn’t so much technical ability as it was getting into somebody physically and winning the ball. That’s really not the way that we like to play."

Hickman did create a few well-engineered scoring opportunities, though.

None was better than the one set up by Matt Baker in the 12th minute of the opening half. He tracked down the ball on the right side of the penalty area and made a move toward the end line before touching it to Graham Lloyd in the middle of the goal box. But Stuart got in front of Lloyd in time to stonewall his point-blank shot and keep the game scoreless.

Stuart had to react almost as quickly to stop George Plakorus on another point-blank shot in the 28th minute. Plakorus’ chance came after a throw-in by Mason Morawitz at the far side of the field bounced over a pair of defenders and onto the foot of the junior winger.

Hickman outshot Jefferson City 4-2 in the first half but had nothing to show for it.

"I was getting a little frustrated," Brumit said. "It felt like it was right in front of the goal the entire time. We just couldn’t put it in. We were getting so close."

The Kewpies went right back on the assault after intermission, and Brumit scored to give them the lead. But their failure to add any cushion to the advantage meant they had to survive a frantic last few minutes as the Jays turned desperate trying to square the score.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reach Steve Walentik at (573) 815-1788 or swalentik@tribmail.com.
at
Labels: ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Driving Directions

  • WAYNESVILLE : Take 63 South Towards Jeff City. Take US-54 W thru Osage Beach to Camdenton. Take MO Hwy 5 South to Lebanon , MO.Continue on MO Hwy 5 South to I-44 E towards Waynesville, MO. Take Exit 156, toward WAYNESVILLE/FORT LEONARD WOOD. Turn LEFT onto HIGHWAY H/I-44-BL/MO-H. Continue to follow I-44-BL.Turn RIGHT onto MO-17/W I-44-BL.1001 HISTORIC 66 W.
  • QUINCY TOURNAMENT IN QUINCY ILLINOIS: From Columbia Take 70 West to Kingdom City. Take 54 North to Mexico and then 54 east and north (54/19) to Laddonia. From Laddonia take 19 North to New London and then 61 North to Hannibal. When you get to Hannibal, you will need to take a right at the sign that says Quincy or to Illinois or to Springfield which is hwy 72 across the river. You will then pick up Highway 172 north to Quincy. In Quincy take the Broadway exit and go left.The fields we are playing on are located on State Street. The streets in Quincy that run West to East are numbered streets. The Mississippi River is to the West and the street numbers get higher the further East you go. When you enter from highway 172 the first street you will see is 48th street. Go left. At State St turn right and the park is a few blocks on the right. The Paul Dennis Complex is located on State between 36th and 48th street.
  • JEFFERSON CITY- 179 SOCCER PARK: Take 63 to Jeff City. Across the river take Hwy 50 toward Sedalia. Take the hwy 179 exit and turn right onto 179. The soccer park is about 3 miles on your left.
  • DESMET High school from CBC High school (about 3 miles): leave CBC and turn left (east) onto N Forty Dr. Turn right onto Conway Rd. Follow Conway Rd to left at S New Ballas Rd and it is about 1.2 miles to the high school at 233 N. New Ballas Rd.
  • CBC High school in St Louis: about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Take I-70 east to US40E/US61S just past Wentzville. Head toward Chesterfield/Forrest Park. About 23 miles to Mason Rd exit. Take S Mason Rd north back over the highway. Turn right on N. Forty Dr and the high school is on your left about a mile at 1850 De la Salle Dr.
  • CAMDENTON: Hwy 54 out of Jeff City to Hwy 5 in Camdenton. Turn left (east) on to Hwy 5. Continue on Hwy 5 for 5 or 6 blocks and can see the school campus on your left (north side of road). Turn on to Dare Blvd and the stadium is a block or two behind the schools.
  • SMITHTON TOURNAMENT: I-70 west to Booneville. Exit on Hwy 5 south. From Hwy 5 take Hwy 50 west. Go to Hwy W and turn south. Follow Hwy W into Smithton. Turn east on to E. Washington St. (I think this is a continuation of Hwy W), Turn right (south) on to Myrtle Ave and the school is 550 Myrtle Ave. Games are at the school.
  • ROLLA: Hwy 63 out of Jefferson City. Continue on Hwy 63 into Rolla. Turn left (east) on to 10th St. Continue on 10th St about 8 blocks to N. Cedar St. High School is at corner of N. Cedar and 10th St. Soccer field is behind the high school.