Thursday, November 12, 2009

Hickman crosses another team off the list

Hickman crosses another team off the list
By Andrew Wagaman

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

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JEFFERSON CITY — Cross another team off the hit list.

SOCCER TUESDAY NIGHT
Sectional

Hickman 2, Camdenton 1

Saturday

Quarterfinal

Hickman vs. Kickapoo, 1 p.m. in Waynesville
The Hickman soccer team took down Camdenton 2-1 in overtime last night to advance to the Class 3 state quarterfinals. The Kewpies won their third consecutive game over an opponent who beat them during the regular season.

“I was glad that we pulled this team again,” Coach Adam Taylor said. “When I found out they beat Rolla, I was pretty excited. We keep getting these revenge matches and keep chugging along. I’m really proud of this team.”

“We have a little joke going: end teams’ seasons,” senior forward George Plakorus said. “We like being able to practice while they are sitting at home.”

It’s safe to say the Lakers don’t find the joke funny, especially when Plakorus terminated their season 3½ minutes into the first overtime. Recalling two weeks ago, when Camdenton beat his team after two overtimes on penalty kicks, the wing resolved not to let the game get to that point.

After often using the sideline to attack the past two weeks, Plakorus tended to cut inside last night. It did not work for most of the game, but upon receiving a pass from Matt Baker, he pulled the move off twice before sending the ball into the left corner of the net.



“Matt played the ball from midfield, and I cut the ball back,” Plakorus said. “The defender tried to grab the ball from me, but I got to the box, cut it back again and finished. Last game, I took it down the line a lot, and Coach said to take it inside one or two times.”

Hickman dominated the first half, controlling possession despite an extremely aggressive Camdenton defense. The team worked the ball from side to side and rarely made an errant pass. In the 25th minute, it paid off when Brian Willcox burst past a defender on the left side of the box and sent a pass toward the right post. Alex Holliday deflected the ball off his right foot before goalie Ryan Moriearty could react.

But the Kewpies came out on their heels in the second half, hardly resembling their earlier selves. The Lakers attacked like it was the final minute of the game from the 40th minute onward, and after a few great saves by Chuck Wilson, they tied the game on Jeff Dorhauer’s shot to the upper right corner.

“We played to protect a lead in the second half, and that came back to bite us in the butt,” Taylor said. “We quit playing possession soccer. That was not our intention. I don’t know where that came from.”

Both teams had chances to end the game in the final 12 minutes, but each goalie made gutsy saves. In overtime, Wilson made yet another play on a Jeron Sinclair shot, and the revitalized Kewpies scored 30 seconds later.

“We hadn’t given a goal up” all postseason, “and I told these guys, ‘There will be a time when someone will score on you in this tournament, and you’re going to have to handle the adversity,’ ” Taylor said. “We did that tonight.”

Plakorus noted how exhausted the team was after beating Rock Bridge and Jefferson City last week.

“We were tired emotionally and physically, because those last two games took a lot out of us,” he said. “I think as soon as we got up we calmed down.”

The surging forward — he has scored in the last five games — made up for it. Upon scoring, Plakorus tore off his jersey and was swarmed by teammates and a few Hickman students elated after an angst-filled second half.

Now, the Kewpies (13-8-2) will play yet another team that beat them earlier in the year — Kickapoo, a 2-1 victor over Carthage in last night’s sectional round. The quarterfinal game will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in Waynesville.

Hickman’s vendettas have not been settled just yet.



“You never pull for one team or another,” Taylor said prior to hearing the final score between the District 11 and 12 champions. “But if we get a chance to play Kickapoo, we’ll use that as motivation.”
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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.