Boys soccer: Seward blanks Houston

HOUSTON - Houston boys soccer coach Chad Rice didn't want to make any excuses for s 2-0 loss to Seward Saturday. But he did imagine what could have been if had his full team would have been in uniform.

Despite having three starters absent from the game, attending the Regional High School Music Competition, and another missing most of the first half due to a violation of team rules, the Hawks looked good in the early moments of the game against the visiting Seahawks. In fact they controlled the action and generated seven quality shots on goal in the first half.

But then Seward began to find openings in the midfield where reserves were filling in for the absent players.

&#8220The game was pretty even,” Rice said. &#8220But I believe if we had all of our players things might have been different. I'm not sure if we would have won, but things would have been different.”

The players missed most were midfielders Hunter Seibold and Kayden Shumway, who were at the music competition. Their counterparts on the Seahawks' squad provided all the offense needed for the victory.

Midfielder Alex Cloward rocketed a shot from 25 yards out over the head of Houston keeper Henry Orth in the final minute of the first half.

Then in the second Coty Beck made an impressive run through the midfield into the clear at the edge of the penalty box before scoring on a right-footed blast into the near corner of the net. Beck narrowly missed a second goal on a free kick late in the period, which bent across the face of the goal only to bounce off the post.

&#8220They managed to find the weak spot in our defense and made us pay,” Rice said. &#8220All the while we couldn't find a way to finish our attacks.”

In addition to the seven shots stopped by Seward's freshman goalie Josh Zimmerman in the first half, Houston players fired off eight shots that were either just wide or over the top of the goal.

&#8220They had us on our heals in the first half,” Seward coach Brendan Smith said. &#8220They came out firing shots off like mad.”

Leading the charge for Houston was forward Matt Gardner who led the team with nine shots on goal, including four in the opening five minutes of the game.

Gardener's attacking play led Smith to make a change, moving midfielder Ian Filbert back to defense to stop the speedy Houston senior. The move slowed the Hawks, and allowed Seward to establish their own offense.

It was the first game of the season for both teams and for the Seahawks it was the first time they have tasted victory after losing every game for the last two season.

Something that Smith and the Seahawks would enjoy all the way home.

&#8220I can't say enough about how good Houston played today,” Smith said. &#8220But for the kids who have been with this team for the last two years this win is special. It's going make the ride home that much more pleasant.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@frontiersman.com.