Though it was playing its sixth game in 16 days, a weary Emporia High boys soccer team found a way to get past Highland Park Thursday night, 2-0.
Despite the absence of still-injured forward Alex Guevara and several Spartans still recovering from a particularly physical game against Hayden on Tuesday, the Spartans got just enough offense to get past the Scots and into a seven-day break.
“I think that repeated physical games, injuries and six games in 16 days finally got to us,” coach Steve Pearson said. “We looked tired — no energy, no spirit.
“We weren’t in the best shape. We need this upcoming break just to heal.”
Though the Spartans (6-0, 2-0 Centennial League) had 19 shots on goal compared to the Scots’ six, it took until 14 minutes into the second half for EHS to find the back of the net.
Carlos Antonio chipped a shot over the head of Scots (2-3, 1-3) goalkeeper Juan Avina to give Emporia a 1-0 lead. Eight minutes later, Antonio — Emporia’s leading scorer — got back in the scoring act when he headed a ball into the net off a cross from midfielder Luis Guzman.
The Spartans controlled the game from then on, playing “most of the second half on their end of the field,” Pearson said.
“The team pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and took charge,” Pearson said. “They knew they were playing poorly and they took it upon themselves to get in the game.”
Spartans goalkeeper Spencer Anderson added another shutout to his record, recording six saves, with five coming off Highland Park’s Lehi Ortega.
Emporia gets a week-long break before returning to action against Topeka High at home next Thursday.
Emporia 2, Highland Park 0
Thursday at Topeka
Emporia 0 2 — 2
Highland Park 0 0 — 0
Second Half
Emp — Carlos Antonio (unassisted)
Emp — Antonio (assist from Luis Guzman)
Shots on goal — Emporia 19, Highland Park 6. Saves — Emporia: Spencer Anderson 6, Highland Park: Juan Avina 17. Corner kicks — Emporia 7, Highland Park 3. Direct kicks — Emporia 11, Highland Park 10. Fouls — Emporia 10, Highland Park 11. Yellow card — Emporia: Juan Carlos Rangel.
Records — Emporia (6-0, 2-0 Centennial League), Highland Park (2-3, 1-3)
Sosa claims 1st place
at Derby Invite
Jordan Sosa swept through the competition Thursday at the Derby Invitational, taking first place at the No. 2 singles spot to lead the Emporia High girls tennis team to a second-place finish.
Sosa finished the event with a 3-0 record, defeating Ely Kirby of Wichita Northwest, 8-3, Betty Ha of Wichita Southeast, 8-1, and Kaleigh Parker of Salina Central, 8-5.
At the No. 1 singles spot, Sarah Watkins placed fourth with a 1-2 record, with her victory coming in her first match of the day over Wichita Northwest’s Jordan McKervery, 8-0.
In doubles action, Lauren Kitchens and Rose Nasrazadani claimed third place with a 2-1 record at the No. 2 doubles spot, taking victories over Wichita South’s duo of Danielle Gilchrist and Bailey Shawell, 8-0, and Salina Central’s team of Jarah Cooper and Maritz Karlsson, 8-3.
Amanda Roberts and Whitney Page turned in a fourth-place finish at No. 1 singles, picking up one victory by defeating Derby’s Hannah Crawford and Nicole Ottley, 8-4.
Emporia as a team finished with 21 points, just two points behind the champion, Hutchinson. Salina Central came in third with 18 points, followed by Wichita Collegiate (14), Derby (12), Wichita Northwest (12), Wichita Southeast (11) and Wichita South (5).