By Matt Harris
BOYS SOCCER LAST NIGHT
Hickman 2, Smith-Cotton 0
Friday, September 25, 2009
After a 12-day layoff from the pitch, the Hickman boys soccer team wasted little time tallying the first goal in its home opener last night against Smith-Cotton.
Hickman at Rock Bridge, 6:30 p.m.
Senior midfielder Matt Baker drove home a rebound into the lower left corner of the net after he was left unmarked on the right side and a rebound from a save by Tigers goalie Charlie Wheeler landed in front of him. The goal, which came in the fifth minute, was enough to stake the Kewpies to a lead that would never face a serious challenge in the 2-0 win at LeMone Field.
The victory was a nice way to return to play after a brutal stretch to open the season that saw the Kewpies (4-3-1) play seven games in nine days and prevented the team from getting in dedicated time to work out kinks.
Hickman Coach Larry Thornberg said his team had been playing on adrenaline out the gate, but issues with marking opposing players and maintaining possession for crisp passing arose and needed to be corrected.
Despite striking first, the Kewpies were still relying too much on the long ball early on.
“The first part of the game, we were playing the ball forward too fast,” Thornberg said. “It worked half the time, and we got a goal of it. So I can’t complain about it.”
Smith-Cotton struggled throughout to mount an attack from its midfield, with Hickman’s back line of seniors Logan Forsythe and Koby Meyer closing space and disrupting short passes.
The Tigers best chance to even the score came in the 29th minute when Forsythe committed a foul challenging for a ball against Smith-Cotton’s Alex Lang, setting up a free kick from 20 yards out.
Cody Meyer couldn’t put the ball away, sending his curving blast just past the left post.
The conditions were far from favorable for Hickman’s first home match, with a heavy downpour water logging the field in the first half before settling into a steady mist the rest of the way.
The wet weather didn’t wreak havoc for Hickman, who controlled the ebb and flow the rest of the way with long runs down the wings only to find forwards delayed in getting forward to capitalize on strong crosses through the box.
One of those crosses, a swerving ball off the foot of Taylor Cox, did find a striker in the form of Andy Atkins, who buried the ball in the back of the net in the 52nd minute to settle the final margin.
And while Hickman showed itself well before its home fans, Thornberg said the team still needs work on the same fundamentals it was addressing entering the game.
“I was pleased with how we played,” Thornberg said. “But we’ll keep on working short passes and dribbling the ball up the field.”
This article was published on page B3 of the Friday, September 25, 2009 edition of The Columbia Daily Tribune. Click here to Subscribe.
First goal by Matt Baker assisted by Connor Hollrah.
Second goal by Andy Atkins assisted by Taylor Cox.
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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.
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