By controlling the pace of the game and spending most of the time in their opponent’s side of the field, the Ketchikan High School boys soccer team took home a 2-1 victory over Thunder Mountain High School on Friday evening.<\/p>\n
Ketchikan (3-5-0) used good communication and a quick turnaround goal in the second half to secure the road sweep of TMHS (0-5-0).<\/p>\n
“The team stayed composed and passed the ball around and I think we took advantage of good opportunities,” Ketchikan coach David Mitchel said. “We have a good number of seniors out there and that really helps with communication and knowing how to respond after a goal.”<\/p>\n
After struggling to maintain possession of the ball, Kayhi junior Jaret Warstler put up the first goal of the night off of a rebound, ending the first half in Ketchikan’s favor, 1-0.<\/p>\n
“We kept our cool 90 percent of the time but sometimes we got caught up with the ball too long,” Ketchikan’s Izaak Jensen said.<\/p>\n
Midway through the second half, TMHS freshman Gavin Gende flipped the script. From almost 35 feet away from the goal, Gende scored a one-time kick just over the fingertips of the Ketchikan keeper, electrifying the Falcons and spectators. The goal was Gende’s first in a Falcons uniform, according to TMHS coach Josh Odum.<\/p>\n
Ketchikan’s Mark Jasper, a junior, took back momentum just two minutes later with a goal of his own.<\/p>\n
Since Ketchikan’s offense persisted in Falcon territory for the majority of the match, TMHS keeper Alan Plosay challenged numerous goal attempts, only letting up the two goals all night.<\/p>\n
“The team lost by one point and put up a tough fight,” TMHS junior Daniel Zito said. “If there was something I’d change, it’s getting more opportunities closer to the net.”<\/p>\n
Odum echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Today was a complete 180 from yesterday. We had some minor breakdowns in communication, little lapses that caused a goal.”<\/p>\n
“We could have easily taken this if we had spread our wings a little more and pumped up communication,” he said.<\/p>\n