(Photo by Steve ‘Ole’ Olson of SGFsoccer.com – From Friday’s Game against Neosho)
Although the Zizzers didn’t come away with any wins at the Parkview Viking Showdown, they were able to show some improvements in their play. On Friday night, West Plains faced off against the Neosho Wildcats in a game played at Kickapoo High School. It was a tale of two halves for the Zizzers in this one. Neosho dominated the first half. Brad Toomoth put Neosho up 1-0 in the 8th minute. Three minutes later, Jared Hill scored to make it 2-0. Hill added another goal in the 15th minute with an assist going to Toomoth. In the 32nd minute Xavier Ruiz made it 4-0 with Hill picking up the assist. The Zizzers did very little offensively until the last few minutes of the half when they were able to create a coupl of opportunities in front of the goal.
It looked like a new team in the red jerseys in the second half. The boys started playing better together and showing some of the things we have been working on in practice. instead of clearing balls downfield, they began to work to possess the ball work it around the field. As a result, we were able to create some opportunities, including a couple balls where the Neosho Keeper had to make good saves. Although the Zizzers didn’t put any balls in the net, the second half of the game was a step in the right direction.
Saturday morning, the Zizzers took on the Lebanon Yellowjackets, a team the Zizzers defeated 3-0 earlier this season. The danger in playing someone you have already beaten is that the players might take that for granted and not be ready to play. That wasn’t the case on Saturday. The Zizzers came out and played their most complete game of the season. The boys moved the ball around the field even better than they did in the second half on Friday night. In the first few minutes, Klay Norman was sent in on goal, but his shot hit the far post and bounced out. The Zizzers continued to play well on both sides of the ball, limiting the dangerous opportunities for the Yellowjackets and creating chances for themselves. About midway through the first half, the Zizzers were whistled for a handball, resulting in a direct free kick for Lebanon. The resulting kick went over the Zizzer wall and overthe outstretched hands of Keeper Logan Huff to give Lebanon a 1-0 lead. The Zizzers didn’t panic. They just kept playing the same way. With about five minutes left in the half, The Yellowjackets sent a long ball up on the counter attack. The second ball was sent behind the Zizzer defense. Gabriel Kenemer was able to get to the ball just before Logan Huff. Kenemer touched the ball into the goal for a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, the Zizzers kept moving the ball and creating chances. Another Zizzer shot hit the post, but that would be as close as they would get to a goal. Lebanon defended well and created a some chances of their own, putting one shot off the crossbar in the second half. The final score would be 2-0 in favor of the Yellowjackets. Both the Zizzers and the Yellowjackets played better in this game. This time it was the Yellowjackets who were able to find the net.
After losing the first two games of the tournament, the Zizzers faced a good young Kearney Bulldog team. The two teams met for the first last year in this tournament with Kearney prevailing 2-1. You never know what you are going to get in the third game of a tournament, where the boys are playing their third game in less than 24 hours and everybody is tired and banged up a little bit. The game was played on the turf at JFK Stadium. The Zizzers came out playing hard and gave a good effort throughout the game, but weren’t able to execute as effectively as they had in the previous games. A lack of communication and not maintaining good spacing defensively hurt the Zizzers in this game. Despite this, the Zizzers through hustle were able to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard until the 34th minute. The Bulldogs sent a ball in front of the goal where Josh Ellis pounded it home from close range to make it 1-0. A minute later, Kenan Roach found himself open around the top of the 18 yard box and fired a shot into the net. 2-0 would be the halftime score.
The Zizzers were able to get the ball done by the goal, but only had one chance where the Kearney Keeper had to make a big save. That came in the second half on a shot by Brodie Bender. Kearney added to their lead in the 48th minute as Roach picked up his second goal. Seven minutes later, Turner Ross sent a corner kick directly into the goal for a 4-0 lead. That would be all of the scoring in this one.
Despite losing all three games, the Zizzers made some progress, especially on the offensive side of the ball. They boys played hard throughout all three games. We still have work to do, but it was nice to see them executing the things we have been working on in practice. Next up will be games at Home on Tuesday against the Rolla Bulldogs. JV will begin at 5:00pm with the Varsity to follow.