Knights trump Houston in home opener

PALMER — Colony’s first home game of the season saw some other season firsts for the Knights boys’ soccer team Thursday.

It was the first home win of 2011, improving their record to 4-1-1, senior goalie Jason Murak scored his first goal, and freshman Chris Olsen broke out offensively with his first two career goals in a 11-1 win over Houston.

Although the score was lopsided, it was an important game for Colony, head coach Jeremy Johnson said. Coming off a disappointing 5-0 loss Monday at Dimond — a loss he described as “the worst loss in Colony boys’ soccer history” — the Knights needed a good showing on the field.

“I look at any match the same, you have to win the match,” he said. “You put out your best 11 players. It doesn’t matter who your opponent is, you have to play to the level you can play at.”

Which was the same message Hawks head coach Colton Conner said. While the score may seem like Colony dominated, Houston played hard the entire game and showed huge improvement for a program barely a year into being revived and scoring its first ever varsity win the last game of the 2010 season. Compared to how the team started last year, Houston has much about which to be hopeful, he said.

“I saw some soccer out there, something I didn’t see Tuesday in our scrimmage,” Conner said. “We really worked on defense in practice and it showed.”

The defensive play of senior captain Brandon Dukes was notable, the coach said.

“He himself saved three goals with his hustle,” Conner said, adding those reading about an 11-1 game missed some of the intangibles he saw. “They’re not going to see the hard work we put in, they’re not going to see the commitment these kids have made. They’ll never quit, I don’t care if the score’s 20-0. I’m so proud of these guys. They’ll run through walls.”

It was an effort that also impressed the Colony coach.

“They have a good coach now and they’re really working hard,” Johnson said. “I saw Houston play better soccer today than I’ve seen them play in awhile. That was nice to see, that level coming up.”

If there was any doubt about the gap still remaining between Houston and the Valley’s well-established programs, it was nipped early. Olsen opened up the scoring in the second minute of play, assisted by senior captain Logan Basner on a throw-in. Colony followed up in the sixth minute when senior Matt Kelly juked the Houston defense for an unassisted goal that would prove to be the game-winner.

Playing much of the first half in the Houston defensive zone, Colony’s pressure paid off, building a 5-0 lead by halftime, including a memorable score for Murak, who came out of the net to put a ball past Houston goalie Andy Gocke on a penalty kick in the 20th minute.

Opening up the second half, Colony continued to pressure while platooning in reserves, but Houston showed more aggression on the offensive front, pushing the ball with its midfielders more.

“At halftime, I told our midfield that we need to play a defensive game, but our midfield guys were not pushing up the field,” Conner said. “I think it finally clicked, and that’s how we got the goal.”

That goal, coming in the 74th minute of play, was an example of the Hawks’ no-quit attitude. Junior Joshua Bowman caught the Colony goalie out of position on a run up the south side of the field and punched the ball into the corner of the net.

“Josh Bowman is a phenomenal soccer player and he’s the leader on the field for us with his emotions,” Conner said. “He never gives up. All those younger guys feed off that and they see that.”

For Colony, the Knights can consider their loss to Dimond history, Johnson said. But in a lopsided game like Thursday’s, it can be hard for players to continue to focus.

“I saw some good, some bad,” he said. “When you get up by a few goals, you tend to get a little individualistic, so I saw too much individual play. But overall, I thought we did a pretty good job, … we’re progressing pretty well.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.