Pearson: EHS soccer ‘Outplayed, out-run, out-maneuvered’
By Michael Ashford
Thursday, September 7, 2006
For 20 minutes Wednesday, the Emporia High soccer team played just like coach Steve Pearson wanted.
The problem was, the Spartans’ game against Wichita East at the Titan Classic in Wichita lasted nearly and hour and a half, and those 20 minutes of good play didn’t come until the end of the game, as Wichita East beat Emporia 6-2.
“We were outplayed, out-run, out-maneuvered; they out-did us on everything,” Pearson said. “We got the first shot-on-goal, but they came back and scored in the third minute, and we fought the rest of the first half just to keep them away from the goal. We were not able to keep pace with them at all in the first half.”
For the game’s first 20 minutes, Wichita East dictated the pace of the game, getting eight shots-on-goal and three scores in on Spartan goalkeeper Cory Oberymeyer. Pearson pulled Obermeyer and subbed in Spencer Anderson, who finished out the game.
Pearson used every player on his bench — all 21 of them — to try and find a combination that could keep up with what he called a “faster, taller and stronger team” in Wichita East.
“We pulled everybody off the bench,” Pearson said. “We played everybody until we found some people who could keep up with them. We had to go through 21 people before we found it, but we finally found some people who could keep up with them. It just took way too long to do so.”
The Spartans finally scored in the game’s 70th minute, as Juan Carlos Rangel scored on a direct kick that bounced off a defender’s head and into the net.
Emporia’s second goal came nine minutes later, when Alex Guevara found the back of the net on a header.
The loss leaves EHS (0-3) still searching for its first win of the season. The Spartans’ next chance to find the win column is at 9 a.m. Saturday when they take on Sunrise Christian in the last round of the Titan Classic.
Gymnastics squad
begins season today
To say the athletes are running the show for the Emporia High gymnastics team would not be an entirely false statement.
This year, coach Barbara Clark has turned over control of some of her teams’ practice to her seniors, who in turn create workouts for the entire team, pending the coach’s approval of course.
“I felt this would be the best benefit for the girls,” Clark said. “They know what they need to work on and what needs to be done. I’ve given them that role. I have some input, but I’ve given that role to the girls because it’s something that they’ve gone through and they’ve done. I think it has helped them that way.”
Needless to say, the prospect of running several practices a week has been a hit with the two seniors in charge of creating the practices, Stephanie Ternes and Libby England.
“I think I’m more motivated to do well when I’m in charge of practice,” Ternes said. “When I make up the workout, I can’t complain about it. It works out really well because we have a say in what we’re doing. We know what we need to work on and where we’re sore.”
The EHS gymnastics season begins at 6 tonight with a meet at Newton, and there is no shortage of high expectations this season.
With nine girls out this year — including three freshmen with gymnastics backgrounds — Clark is confident her squad has a nice blend of returning talent and fresh faces to create a well-balanced team.
“I strongly urge team unity, and I think that has taken place,” Clark said. “
One key returner is junior Tarra Nichols, a state individual qualifier last year in bars and floor.
Nichols, who spent her summer training and practicing in Topeka, is confident that the hard work she put in over the summer will pay off this season.
“I hope to have more consistency in my elements in my routines,” Nichols said. “I see myself getting stronger and progressing. I think this year, I don’t want to say it will be easier, but I’ll have a lot more to give, so I should do better.”
Nichols, who says her favorite routine is the bars, is eager for the new season to start for a couple reasons.
“I want to make it back to state, but the most excitement comes from the fact that I choreographed a new routine for the floor, and I’m excited to show that,” she said. “Over the summer, I worked on more difficult elements.”
For the Spartans, they will know more about what kind of team they have once they begin competition.
“What I want would be for them to go to state as a team, but I want them to have to work to get there,” Clark said. “I don’t want them to think they already have it. We can build something with what we have.”