SK PIONEER SPORTS: Sparring Soccer Bout at SK

The Lady Pioneers hosted the Lady Bluebirds in a triple header at Community Field at Meneffee Stadium. Tonight’s game was the last regular season game and the last home game for our seniors.

The Bluebird Freshman team bested the Pioneers by a final of 6-0 and tried to set the tone for the night. The JV team took to the field and showed the Birds that the Pioneer teams were not going to go away lightly. The JV team took an early first half lead that they maintained until about 3 minutes to go. Highlands got the ball by a scrambling Ashley Repka to tie the score. Repka finished the game strong to maintain the tie.

If you are not a Pioneer backer; you may not want to read any further.

The varsity team took to the field in the night cap. With the sun falling earlier over the SK campus, the atmosphere was perfect for a night of soccer. Highlands came out with a swagger that they were going to pop the Pioneers and walk on to a victory. Highlands set a tone that the game was going to be physical and hit SK from the opening bell. The only problem was, the Lady Pioneers hit back. They came back with tackles and attacks for possession that were even harder. Quite frankly, the game got out of control. Both teams hit each other with tackles, dives, shoves, hooks, pulls, elbows, and just about anything else you can name. The game was played with the physicality of a boys game; it just wasn’t called that way.

The Highlands fans were interesting. When they didn’t get a call or they didn’t like the play, they screamed, hollered, pounded and on and on- not just at the referees but at the Simon Kenton players as well. In my opinion, this spilled over on to the field in various ways.

Back to the game. The first half ended scoreless. Both teams played hard and took their shots. The physical tone of the game brought out the best game of the season for Simon Kenton; almost like a sleeping giant was awakened.

The second half would start with the game’s only goal. Unfortunately, it was for the visitors. #4 for the Bluebirds nailed an absolutely beautiful ball the was unstoppable as it hooked into the side of the net in the first minute of the half.

This has been the point where the SK team has had a tendency to fold this year. Not tonight. The effort and energy came on even stronger. SK had several really good scoring chances. None better than when Krista Russell got by the defense and placed a shot that found the diving fingertips of the Highlands keeper. Freshman Aris Kuntz followed the ricochet that the keeper just barely pulled in on the secondary stop. If the ball was just 6 inches further away from the keeper, the game is tied. It wasn’t. The SK players made good plays, the Highlands keeper made a better one.

SK got a couple of late game corner kicks and put a lot of pressure on Highlands but was unable to come up with the tough to come by goal.

I don’t have any stats on the game but in my opinion, the Lady Pioneers outplayed Highlands in the effort department. They won more 50/50 balls and left everything they had out on the field. The difference in the game was marginal and the score came down to just a couple of plays.

Hats off to both teams. A tip of the cap also to the handful of SK Football players and boys soccer players who were on hand. You were a huge neutralizer in the stands.

Both teams played hard and will probably be feeling the effects of this game tomorrow. Who knows, maybe they will face each other again. I just hope we see the sportsmanship that Bob and John read about before the games.

More Photos will be available tomorrow on http://www.figsphotos.com/

Nice job by the SK midfield by winning balls out of the air and the middle third of the field. A key in games like tonight's.