By Kai Raymer
Springfield, Mo. — If you’re going to play the Glendale Falcons’ girls soccer team, it’s best to do so early in the season.
Glendale, far removed from losing 5-0 to Ozark in a weather-shortened season opener, continued its early season turnaround Friday afternoon by defeating Jefferson City 2-1 in the Gold Division quarterfinals of the Kickapoo Shootout.
The Falcons improved to 5-3-1 overall, with four of those wins coming in their last five games. Glendale endured a similar slow start to the season last spring.
“Even with our boys’ team, if you’re going to play us, get us early,” said Glendale coach Jeff Rogers. “Because we’re only going to get better – and that (Ozark game) is proof. Ozark’s a tough test for anybody, especially a first game, and they were a few games into their season. We’re still trying to figure out who’s who. We’ve got a lot of young kids out there but they’re getting better and better.”
CLICK HERE FOR JEFFERSON CITY VS. GLENDALE PHOTOS
Sophomore Emma Miller and junior Reagan Richardson had second-half goals for the Falcons.
Richardson’s goal, in the 61st minute, proved to be the game-winner. After a cross from Miller, Richardson battled amid traffic in front of the Jays’ net to score on a rebound, with perhaps a little help from the Jays’ defenders that led to an own-goal.
“I was looking for a cross or a shot, whichever one was going to work,” Miller said.
Glendale withstood repeated Jefferson City corner kicks and throw-ins on its end in the final 20 minutes. The Jays appeared to tie the game up in the final minute, but the goal was overruled.
A line official ruled Jefferson City’s cross leading up to the would-be goal went out of bounds.
“The linesman, that’s what they’re there for, he looked straight down the line and saw the ball kind of curve out then come back in,” Rogers said.
Miller’s goal came in the opening minute after halftime, as she won possession on a feed from midfielder Brooke Briscoe, gained separation on her defender and took a shot from the far-left side of the box that caught the right post and bounced over the line to put the Falcons ahead 1-0.
“Brooke sent it up to me and I saw the (defender) coming and she was going faster than I was, so I cut around and saw the shot and took it,” Miller said.
Added Rogers: “Emma’s scored some big goals for us this year and that was a quality one today. A lot of times, you see kids going out that wide and you’re like, ‘She doesn’t really have an angle.’ But she put it on frame and it just had enough of that backspin on it for that post to put it back into play and across the line.”
Glendale’s lead didn’t last long. Jefferson City got the equalizer about 10 minutes later when Tessa Sigmund won a ball into the box and found room for a clear shoot after two Glendale defenders collided.
Glendale was able to answer back with the go-ahead goal by Richardson to make it 2-1. Rogers said it was key for his team to avoid overtime with a busy stretch ahead, including two games on Saturday.
“Our effort was their today and it paid off for us,” he said.
The Falcons are introducing many new players to their lineup, including multi-sport freshman Kyndal Phillips (softball, basketball), who’s playing soccer for the first time.
Rogers recently implemented a roleplay walkthrough in practice: no ball and only movement.
“We have a lot of new players, so just getting them minutes and getting them touches on the ball makes a big improvement in the way we play in our game,” Briscoe said. “It’s made a huge difference.”
Briscoe had a hand in Glendale’s second goal as well, setting up Miller on a run that lead to Richardson’s goal. Briscoe played in only about six games last season due to injury but offers playmaking and finishing capabilities.
“She strikes the ball, really well, with both feet,” Rogers said. “She’s scored some great goals from a distance for us.”
The Falcons enter a stretch of six games in seven days that culminates next Thursday with a match versus Nixa. Fatigue and health will be tested; Rogers hopes the Falcons can maintain their injury-free status and continue to improve.
“With girls’ soccer right now, you’re seeing a lot of scores that people are kind of shakingtheir heads at, but if kids will get out there and just compete and work hard, they can make some good things happen,” Rogers said. “The good teams will kind of separate. I think it will make for a fun postseason. I tell the kids, ‘Every whistle to whistle, we’re going to get better.’ And I think they’re starting to prove that.”
Glendale faces either Carl Junction or Timberland at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow (KHS Grass Field) in the Gold Division quarterfinals. The finals are set for 3 p.m.
KICKAPOO SHOOTOUT GOLD DIVISON
Friday’s games
Glendale 2, Jefferson City 1
Hickman 3, Poplar Bluff 2
Nixa vs. Kearney, 6 p.m.
Timberland vs. Carl Junction, 8 p.m.
Saturday’s games
Consolation semifinals: Poplar Bluff vs. Hickman/Kearney, 8 a.m. (turf field)
Consolation semifinals: Jefferson City vs. Timberland/Carl Junction, 8.m. (grass field)
Semifinals: Hickman vs. Nixa/Kearney, 9:45 a.m. (turf field)
Semifinals: Glendale vs. Timberland, Carl Junction, 9:45 a.m. (grass field)
7th place game, 1:15 p.m. (grass field)
5th place game, 1:15 p.m. (turf field)
3rd place game, 3 p.m. (grass field)
Title game, 3 p.m. (turf field)
