Heights edges Seaman

By Paul Carr

SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

For the second straight soccer game, Shawnee Heights's opponent scored a golden goal in overtime. Fortunately for the T-Birds, Seaman put the ball in its own net on Thursday night, giving Heights a 4-3 road victory.

The decisive goal came in the ninth minute of the first overtime. Thunderbird senior Jasper Scheuermann centered a pass inside the box, and after pinballing amongst a handful of players, the ball ricocheted off a Viking defender into the goal.

The score capped an extra frame Shawnee Heights dominated, generating multiple opportunities from close range before pulling out an overtime victory that dimmed memories of an extra time loss to Topeka West on Tuesday.

"It was really important for us to come out with a win after Tuesday's game," said Thunderbird head coach Mike Balint. "Plus, it's a league contest, and we put a lot of emphasis on those games."

Seaman opened the Centennial League scoring just 50 seconds after the opening whistle, as senior Troy Muxlow converted a penalty kick following a Heights' foul in the right side of the box. Less than eight minutes later, the Vikings doubled their lead when Thunderbird sophomore Joe Gerant shanked a Seaman cross past keeper Clayton Hodges for an own goal.

Despite a heavy drizzle, the first half's frantic early pace continued in the 12th minute. Attacking down the left flank, Heights junior Moritz Winter deflected a pass off of Seaman goalie Shawn Perry to Kevin Walter, who promptly opened the T-Bird scoring.

The equalizer arrived about four minutes before halftime thanks to an A.J. Perine free kick. The Heights junior floated a midfield pass into the box, where fellow junior Derek Berry nudged it over an onrushing Perry to level the score.

Seaman regained its lead in the opening moments of the second half on an odd score. Senior All-Stater Tanner McAndrew lined a cross in from the right side, only to see Perry grab it out of the air. However, apparently due to the wet conditions, the keeper slipped upon landing, losing the ball into the goal for a 3-2 Seaman advantage.

But Perine was not finished. After firing dozens of shots from outside the box over the last two games, Heights finally found the twine in the 50th minute. Perine created space 25 yards from goal on the left, and blazed a left-footed shot into the top left corner.

Shawnee Heights 2 1 1 --- 4 Seaman 2 1 0 --- 3 Shawnee Heights --- Goals: Gerant (own), Walter, Berry, Perine. Assists: Winter, Perine.

Seaman --- Goals: Muxlow, McAndrew (own).

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Shawnee Heights' Michael Woodall (14) and Adam Irvin battle for control of the ball during the first half of Thursday's game at Seaman. Heights won on a goal in overtime, 4-3.

Copyright 2003
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.