Kewpies pull off another surprise.
By Andrew Wagaman
Friday, November 6, 2009
With the Hickman soccer program in tumult at the beginning of October, few could have foreseen the turnaround that followed in the next month.
By Andrew Wagaman
Friday, November 6, 2009
With the Hickman soccer program in tumult at the beginning of October, few could have foreseen the turnaround that followed in the next month.
“We had a really good team, but we had trouble fitting the pieces together,” junior Colin Janicek said. “I think we finally started to mesh after all the trouble. It was difficult, but we got it done.”
After the Kewpies’ 2-0 victory over sixth-ranked Jefferson City last night, Coach Adam Taylor reminisced on the rough transition midseason after former head Coach Larry Thornburg resigned.
I think it took a week or two for them to understand exactly what I wanted and to actually trust me,” Taylor said. “After we got a couple of wins, they thought, ‘Oh, maybe he knows what he’s talking about.’ ”
And after a 2-1 regular-season-finale loss to Camdenton, Hickman gritted its teeth and jammed its way through the postseason. A once middling defense suddenly became invincible and hasn’t given up a single goal in the last three games.
“The back line has gone from mediocre to just outstanding in two weeks,” Taylor said. “It’s been incredible.”
Janicek, who scored the game-winning goal 67 minutes into the championship game, felt the Kewpies were able to knock off two teams that beat them in the regular season by peaking after gradual improvement since Taylor took over.
“We bonded with Coach Taylor a little bit more,” he said. “We finally started connecting, settled down and came into our own together. Once we started connecting on passes, we started finishing, which is probably the biggest thing.”
It was a crisp pass and a strong finish that untied a scoreless game that seemed destined to go to overtime. George Plakorus deftly stopped a pass by Matthew Baker from rolling out of bounds and then sent a cross to the middle of the box. Janicek one-timed the ball into the left side of the net.
“George was just being George and did something creative,” Janicek said. “Kirt” Harris, a midfielder “went in first, and I thought he was going to get a touch on it. When he let it through, I thought, ‘that’s mine.’ ”
The goal came two minutes after a score by Alex Holliday was called back as offside. Taylor was disappointed by the call but had a feeling that the tide had turned.
“I knew that the call would give us some momentum,” he said. “We still put it in the back of the net, and the guys got a lift from that.”
Plakorus capped off a remarkable personal resurgence with a breakaway insurance goal in the 77th minute. Since the game against Camdenton — in which he scored his first goal — he has netted one a game.
“He’s just come through perfectly for us in a crucial time of the year,” Taylor said. “Some kids step up” in the postseason, “and George has definitely picked it up.”
While the Kewpies’ run after the loss to Camdenton might seem strange, Taylor says it has not been due to newfound confidence as much as a revelation that they needed to finish better.
Hickman may have another shot at Camdenton in the Class 3 Sectional if the Lakers beat Rolla in their district final. The Kewpies will be ready for either at 6 on Tuesday night.
“We need to keep playing the way we have been — with shut-out defense,” Janicek said. “We need to take care of chances when we get them.”
Photo by Parker Eshelman
Published November 6, 2009
Colin Janicek celebrates after scoring a goal during Hickman’s 2-0 victory over Jefferson City in Thursday night’s district title game.
This article was published on page B1 of the Friday, November 6, 2009 edition of The Columbia Daily Tribune. Click here to Subscribe.
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