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Panthers eliminated by Brenham, 2-1 in
overtime, on Monday, March 30 in Georgetown. For the fourth time this
season the Panthers battled a tough opponent into overtime. They came away
with victories the first three times. But this time the Brenham Cubs
prevailed, ending Midway's playoff run. It was a fast-paced and physical
match, with tough-nosed defenses on both sides preventing goals for the
first 69 minutes. It was at that mark that Brenham broke through, on a great
pass that led to a ball headed past the Panther keeper. But it was a series
of events a few minutes earlier that gave the Cubs the upper hand. Shortly
after the midpoint of the half, a host of bodies collided in front of the
Panther goal on a Brenham throw-in. When the players untangled, Midway's two
center defenders, Cameron Dorsett and Scottie Newberry, were
left lying on the ground, Dorsett with a head injury and Newberry
holding his knee. Fortunately Dorsett would later return to the game,
and in fact scored the tying goal. But Newberry, a senior captain,
had to watch the remainder of the game from the sideline standing on
crutches. The next blow came a few minutes later when Midway winger Cody
Gilham committed a hard foul on a Brenham player near midfield. In a
match that had seen extremely physical play with very few whistles up to
that point, Midway supporters were shocked when the referee reached straight
for his red card, sending Gilham to the sidelines for good and
putting the Panthers at a one-man disadvantage. It was shortly thereafter
that the Cubs capitalized on Midway's loss, of both personnel and numbers,
to score what appeared to be the winning goal. But the Panthers refused to
concede the match. They battled their way to an equalizer in the 76th
minute. Dorsett, who had returned to the game shortly before, scored
on a header off a throw-in by Jacob Holecek. Holecek launched
the ball from the left touchline and Dorsett finished at the center
of the 6-yd box. That sent the match to overtime. But Midway's overtime luck
ran out in the 9th minute of the first extra period when a Brenham forward
got the ball on his foot on the right side of the Panthers area and chipped
it over the charging keeper. The Cubs were able to kill off the final 11
minutes of OT and seal their berth in the next round.
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Panthers edge Nacogdoches 1-0 to advance to
the Regional Quarterfinals, on Friday, March 27, 2009. Playing on a
soggy--in some spots underwater--field at Sam Houston State University in
Huntsville, the Midway varsity boys soccer team earned a hard-fought victory
over a very good Nacogdoches Golden Dragons side. A single goal was the
difference in the battle of the two district champions. That goal came in
the 25th minute of the match off the foot of Panther forward Ricardo
Romero. Romero poked home the ball after his fellow forward
Chavis Colliver chased it down in the right corner and crossed it
into the box. The ball skittered through traffic in front of the goal and
found Romero waiting near the back post. Midway dominated play for
most of the first half, generating several other good chances that either
went just wide or were saved by the Dragon keeper. Coming out after the
half-time break, this time with the wind in their faces, the Panthers
continued to be the aggressors. But the momentum began to turn as the second
half wore on. By the midway point in the period, the Dragons were on the
attack and the Panthers looked a little tired. One of Nacogdoches' best
opportunities for an equalizer came on a free kick taken from about 35 yards
out along the right touchline. Midway keeper Johann Vasquez watched
helplessly as the kick sailed over his head and curled toward the far post.
Just inches too wide, the ball ricocheted off the top left corner and back
into the field of play. On several other occasions, Panther defenders had to
clear balls away from near their goal line. But despite their offensive
flurry to close the match, the determined Nacogdoches players were
ultimately denied the back of the net by an equally determined Midway
defense. The Dragons fought to the bitter end, though. With under ten
seconds remaining, they took a throw-in from deep along the right touchline.
The ball careened dangerously around the box and was chipped at the Panther
goal at the last second. But Vasquez was there to snatch the ball out
of the air as the buzzer sounded. With the win, Midway moves on to play
Brenham in the Regional Quarterfinal round, tentatively set for 6:00pm
Monday, March 30 in Georgetown.
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Midway earns 3-0 playoff victory over
Palestine, on Monday, March 23, 2009. The Midway varsity soccer squad
advanced to the Sectional Round of the playoffs with a solid 3-0 victory
over a scrappy Palestine side in a match played at Bryan High School
Stadium. The Panthers came out strong and dominated possession throughout
the first half. Even so, it was the Wildcats from Palestine that came close
to striking first. Early in the game a Wildcat attacker got behind the
Midway defense on a throw-in from the right side deep in Panther territory.
He found himself with a lane to the near post and got off a shot that
trickled across the face of the goal and just wide of the left post. Other
than that scare, however, Midway limited the Wildcats' chances in the
opening period while taking plenty of their own. The Panthers' breakthrough
came in the 19th minute after a goal kick by Scottie Newberry. Newberry's
long restart caught the Palestine defenders pushed up too far. When
the ball sailed over their heads, forward Ricardo Romero ran onto it, made a couple of
evasive moves near the top of the box, and struck the ball into the back of
the net from about 15 yds. out straightaway. Midway added a second goal
about five minutes later when Midfielder Anthony Cantu collected a ball near
the center of the Palestine area and dribbled out of traffic to the left
side of the box. He then turned and lobbed a cross toward the back post
where Romero was waiting to finish with his head. Palestine held the
Panthers at bay afterwards, but headed to the half-time locker-room with a
2-0 deficit. The Wildcats did not concede the match, however. They came out
with energy in the second period and rocked Midway back on its heels with
lots of action in front of the Panther goal. But Midway held Palestine out
of the goal and eventually re-asserted control of the match. Winger Derrick
Sims finally iced the game for Midway in the 56th minute. He received a
throw-in from Jacob Holecek deep in the Wildcat's left corner, beat a defender
at the byline, and attacked the near post. The keeper challenged, but Sims
drilled a shot past him and into the right side netting for a final score of
3-0. The Sectional round will be played sometime during March 26-28 against
the winner of Tuesday's Waco High--Nacogdoches matchup. Details will
be posted when available.
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Midway Panthers
clinch district championship vs. Robinson, 4-1 on Monday 3/16.
The Midway
Varsity boys soccer team are the 2009 champions of
District 33-4A, with a record of 21-1-1 (13-1-0 district). The
Panthers locked up first place with a 4-1 win at Robinson in the
final game of the regular season. But Robinson did not let Midway
earn the championship without a fight. On a field that was soggy and
slow from recent rains, the Rockets came out strong and scored on a
break-away in the 6th minute of the match to take a 1-0 lead. Midway
struggled to find a rhythm against the home side but still managed
to level the match in the 12th minute off a free kick taken by
winger Derrick Sims. Sims crossed the ball from the
right touchline to the back post where a teammate redirected it up
and off the crossbar. The rebound sparked a brief melee in front of
the Rocket goal that ended when forward Ricardo Romero
punched the ball home in the net. Following Romero's goal,
action ebbed back and forth, but neither side could get much else
going for the remainder of the first half. When play resumed after
the break, however, Midway gained momentum off a header by
midfielder Cameron Dorsett in the 44th minute. Dorsett
struck from just outside the left post on a ball played by winger
Cody Gilham, giving the Panthers their first lead at 2-1. Gilham served the ball to
Dorsett from the right
touchline immediately after receiving a pass from Jacob Holecek
in midfield. Building on their advantage, the Panthers upped the
lead to 3-1 in the 54th minute by virtue of Romero's second
goal of the evening. The Midway forward struck the ball on frame
from the middle of the 18-yd box after being set up by a pass from
Dorsett. A short time later (61'), Romero contributed
to the last goal of the match by drawing a foul just inside the top
of the penalty area. Sims came up to take the penalty kick
and drove it low into the right corner of the net, pushing the
margin to its final tally, 4-1. Midway has a bye for the first round
of the playoffs and will see initial action in the Area round played
March 23 or 24th, opponent, location, and time TBD.
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Panthers best La Vega 4-0
on Senior Night. On Tuesday, 3/10, the Midway seniors celebrated their
final district home game with a 4-0 victory over the visiting La Vega
Pirates. The following graduating players and their parents were recognized
during a halftime ceremony: goalkeeper Johann Vasquez; defenders
Scottie Newberry (Captain), Anthony Calao, Stephen Thomas,
and Ethan Fleshman; midfielders Anthony Cantu, Tim Peterson,
Taylor Pankonien, Derrick Sims, and Cody Gilham; and
forwards Ricardo Romero (Captain), Jacob Holecek (Captain),
Michael Edwards, and Billy Schmidt. Midway Coach Tim O'Leary put eleven seniors on the field to start the game, and
they jumped on top of La Vega early. In the 6th minute, the Pirates were
called for a foul about eight yards into Panther territory near the right
touchline. Defender Scottie Newberry ran up and took the free kick
quickly, catching the La Vega goal keeper off his line. Newberry's
long, arching ball dropped into the left corner of the Pirates' net before
the keeper could recover, giving the Panthers what would turn out to be the
deciding goal. But the Midway seniors were not done. Just a few minutes
later, Taylor Pankonien made a superb pass from his center midfield
position to Cody Gilham running in on the right wing. Gilham
struck the ball hard from the right edge of the 18-yd box, beating the
keeper and scorching the left corner of the net. Midway carried their 2-0
advantage into halftime, but added a third goal only six minutes after the
break. Again, a tandem of seniors made the play. Gilham stole a ball
from the Pirate defense near the right side of the box. He immediately
passed inside to Jacob Holecek who eluded one defender and then slid
the ball just inside the left post. Three to nil remained the margin until
the 70th minute when the scoring was capped by a third senior combo. This
time, it was midfielder Tim Peterson who played a ball from the right
midfield through to forward Ricardo Romero. Peterson deftly
put the ball behind the defenders for Romero to run onto near the top
of the box. The La Vega keeper was forced off his line to challenge Romero, but to no avail.
Romero slid the ball past him and into
the right side of the goal to seal the 4-0 win. Midway is now 20-1-1 on the
season, and is 12-1-0 in district with one district match remaining at
Robinson on Friday, 3/13.
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Midway defeats Lorena 8-0
on the road on Friday, 3/6. Lorena started the game well and kept the
district frontrunners at arm's length for the first twenty minutes of action
Friday night. But the Panthers finally solved the Leopard's defense, scoring
the opening goal in the 21st minute. The play started and finished with
defender Scottie Newberry. Newberry took a long free kick from the midfield
stripe that the Lorena keeper was forced to punch over the crossbar. Winger
Cody Gilham took the ensuing corner kick from the left side. He played a low
ball that skittered through the goal box toward the back post where
Newberry, pushed forward for the set play, punched it in. The scoring
continued in the 28th minute when Jacob Holecek received a pass from Anthony
Cantu near the top of the 18-yd box. Holecek dribbled a few
yards toward the right sideline to elude a defender, then turned and fired quickly from
about 20 yards out, making the score 2-0. The third and final goal of the
first half came six minutes later from forward Ricardo Romero. As several
Leopard defenders were trying to corral a loose ball near the top of their
goal box, Romero stepped in from behind them, pulled the ball back with his
foot, and turned to find himself alone with the keeper. He finished by
sliding the ball inside the left post. Second half scoring got underway in
the 51st minute on a play that began with another Newberry free kick from
near midfield. This time, instead of putting a long ball on frame, Newberry
made the pass to fellow defender Anthony Calao who had pushed down the right
touchline about halfway into Leopard territory. Calao immediately made a
cross into the area and onto the head of Romero for the finish. Goal number
five came in the 58th minute, again off a three player combo. Gilham pushed
the ball deep down the right touchline, then passed inside to Romero who
attacked the goal from the right byline. When the defense was drawn to cut
off his advance, Romero passed across the face of the goal to Derrick
Sims
at the back post for the easy finish. When Chavis Colliver was fouled in the
Lorena box shortly after play resumed, Sims took the penalty kick and
notched his second goal in as many minutes. The seventh goal of the night
came off the foot of forward Michael Edwards. In the 69th minute, Edwards
collected a ball toward the right side of the Leopard 18-yd line and fired a
hard shot into the left side of the net. The final score came when Chavis Colliver got to the right byline and attacked the near post. Similar to the
earlier Romero/Sims combination, Colliver slid the ball across the face of
the goal for Phil Pillers to finish at the back post. Final score: 8-0.
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Midway downs Waco 2-1 in
overtime. Tuesday, 3/3. For the second time in four days,
Midway's varsity boys soccer team survived an overtime barnburner at home
against a district rival. On Friday, 2/27, the Panthers edged the University
Trojans 3-2 in extra time. This time it was the Waco Lions that pushed the
home team to the limit for a hundred minutes. An inside track to the
district championship was on the line for the Panthers, while the Lions were
looking for a share of the lead. And Waco seemed poised to grab it when they
struck first in the 22nd minute of the match. With several players pressed
forward in the attack, the Lions passed the ball left-to-right across the
the Midway goal box. The ball found the open man near the
back post for the finish. In subsequent play, both teams had their chances,
but Waco's goal held up as the half-time margin. The second half started out
as more of the same, with both teams trading jabs in back-and-forth action.
But things changed about eight minutes in when Midway's Jacob Holecek
gathered a ball in the midfield and made a long run at the Waco goal. Holecek
sprinted his way through the Waco defense, and finished his solo effort by
splitting the last defenders at the 18-yard line to put himself in on the
keeper for the score. On the strength of Holecek's equalizer, Midway
pushed the match to overtime, but not before weathering a flurry of Waco
attacks. The Lions pounded the Panthers' goal as the clock wound down on
regulation play. Midway goal keeper Johann Vasquez made his bid for
Man of the Match by leaping to punch several hard shots over the crossbar,
not to mention diving on a variety of balls that ricocheted around his area.
In addition to the balls Vasquez saved, other Waco strikes deflected
dangerously off the goal frame. But despite the barrage of close calls, the
Lions were denied the back of the net. Midway, back on their heels to close
the second half, regrouped and played the first ten minutes of overtime to a
stalemate. Then fortune turned their way in the first minute of the second
extra period. Midway's Cody Gilham received a ball along the right
touchline, about halfway into Lion territory. He promptly laid the ball off
to Holecek, who ran around him to the outside. As the defenders
turned their attention to Holecek, Gilham angled toward the
goal and received the one-two pass back from his teammate. As the defenders
collapsed back toward him, Gilham made the final pass into the space
ahead. Holecek, continuing his run, picked up the ball with a clear
path to the near post. The Waco keeper was forced out, but it was too late.
Holecek fired the game winner past him into the left corner of the
net. Finding themselves behind for the first time, the Lions stepped up the
attack in a desperate attempt to return the match to level. But the Panthers
withstood the assault and preserved the win, which was reminiscent of their
first match against Waco, played at WISD stadium in February. In that one,
the Panthers also came from a 1-0 deficit in the second half to force
overtime, emerging in the end with a 3-2 road win. Midway now has a one game
lead over University--two games ahead of Waco--with three district matches
left to play.
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JVI defeats Robinson 9-0,
on Saturday, 2/28.
-
Panthers take over
district lead with wild 3-2 overtime victory at home against rival
University, on Friday, 2/27. The Panthers struck first in the 6th minute
by way of winger Derrick Sims' free kick from just outside the right corner
of the 18-yard box. Following a foul committed against Midway forward
Ricardo Romero, Sims drove the ball past a wall of Trojans and underneath
their diving goalkeeper. With Midway holding the one goal margin, the
fast-paced, physical match surged back and forth throughout most of the
remainder of the first half without further scoring. But that changed in the
35th minute when the Trojans were able to create a numbers advantage in the
Midway goal box. Following a quick change of possession, and with some solid
passing, University found the open player, Zuniga, who struck true from just
left of the center of the area to level the match. But the equalizer did not
stand long. Just three minutes later, Sims curled a long cross from the left
wing toward the head of Romero in the center of Trojan box. But the ball
sailed over Romero's head by virtue of what appeared to be a shove from
behind. The referee allowed play to continue, however, which ultimately
worked to the Panthers' advantage when Jacob Holecek corralled the loose
ball behind Romero and struck it home for a 2-1 half-time lead. That score,
and the frenetic pace, continued to be the story line for the majority of
the second half. Both sides attacked relentlessly, and both sides narrowly
escaped conceding goals on several occasions. Scottie Newberry for Midway
and Christian Lugo for University both had long free kicks that beat their
opponent's keepers. But both balls slammed forcefully off the goal
cross-bars and careened dangerously around the opponent's goal boxes before
being cleared. Both sides also made several dangerous runs into their
opponent's areas. And both keepers made several critical saves. At one point
in particular, the Trojans looked to have a sure goal on a ball that was
driven on the ground past charging Panther keeper Johann Vasquez. But
defender Stephen Thomas came flying in to clear the ball away inches from
the goal line. The breakneck pace seemed to wear on Midway in the final
stretch of the second half, and University took full advantage by pressing
forward hard in search of a second equalizer. And they got what they were
after with under ten minutes to play. Lugo, a long-time select soccer
teammate of many of the Midway players, made a fine solo run through the
Midway midfield, splitting Panther defenders and angling left to right
through the Midway goal box. He drew Vasquez off his line and deftly
squeezed a shot through a gap and into the net. With the game knotted, both
sides stepped up their efforts in hopes of creating a game-winning
opportunity in the final minutes. But neither team could break through,
sending the match into the first of two 10-minute overtime periods. Midway,
benefiting from a rest before the start of overtime, came out with new
energy and pressed the attack, which paid off in the 4th extra minute after
they earned a throw-in from near the Trojan's left corner. The long throw
was aimed at the head of Romero near the left post. Similar to the
circumstances that preceded Midway's second goal, Romero received a push
from behind that sent him flying under the ball. This time the referee's
whistle sounded and a penalty kick was awarded to the Panthers. Sims set up
for the PK and drove it home in the left side of the net. The remainder of
the first overtime was marked by the rapid, back-and-forth play that defined
the entire match. The Panthers were able to keep the Trojans at bay, and
headed into the second overtime with a goal advantage. Following the
intermission, the Panthers came out in a defensive formation, determined to
kill the time and preserve their lead. University attacked hard, but
Midway's strategy worked. The Panthers denied the Trojans any quality
equalizing opportunities, running the clock out on the visitor's hopes and
igniting a celebration among the home fans. The win puts Midway in sole
possession of first place in the district, one game ahead of both University
and Waco High. The Panthers can take another huge step toward securing the
district title next Tuesday at home when they face the Waco High Lions. The
Lions, on the other hand, can propel themselves and the Trojans into a
three-way tie for first by defeating the Panthers.
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JV I defeats Connally
4-1, JVII wins 5-1 over Robinson, on Thursday, 2/26.
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Varsity wins 5-0 at
Cameron, on Tuesday, 2/24. The Panthers earned another district shutout
playing at district newcomer Cameron. Goals were provided by Jacob Holecek (2), Ricardo
Romero (2), and Michael Edwards.
Assists were provided by Romero (2) and Holecek.
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JV squads win over Waco,
on Saturday, 2/21. JV II wins 3-2. JV I wins 1-0.
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Varsity downs Mexia 10-0
at home on Friday, 2/20. The scoring was started by Jacob Holecek
when he finished from the middle on a ball that was popped across from the
left side of the Mexia box by Derrick Sims, then headed down to Holecek's feet from the right side by Cody
Gilham. Next came a
strike from Sims from the left side off a pass from the center by
Anthony Cantu. Holecek struck again for the third goal.
Defender Scottie Newberry played a long ball from the back that found
Ricardo Romero posted in the middle of the offensive third. Romero
immediately played Holecek, who was making a run off of him through
the middle. Goal number four came off the head of Cameron Dorsett at
the back post on a corner kick taken by Gilham from the left side. Sims scored next on a half volley from the left side of the Mexia goal
box off an overhead pass from Romero from the right byline. Cantu
found the net for the sixth goal, striking from the right side off a
pass from Holecek. Gilham then earned his second corner kick
assist of the night, this time putting the ball on the head of Phil Pillers at the back post.
Pillers promptly returned the assist
favor, playing a ball from the right side into the middle of the Mexia box
where Michael Edwards finished. The ninth goal came off the foot of
Billy Schmidt, who slid the ball just inside the left post off a pass
from Romero. Romero earned the final goal after fighting his
way single-handedly through a group of Mexia defenders in the center of the
goal box.
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Varsity wins at home vs.
Robinson, 4-1, on Tuesday, 2/17. The Panthers got on the scoreboard in
the 5th minute of the game when defender Scottie Newberry took a free kick
from the midfield stripe and put it on frame. The keeper, who was off his
line, backpedaled in time to catch the ball just below the crossbar, but
then fell backwards into the goal, taking the ball with him for the score.
Just a minute later, Midway earned a corner kick from the left side that was
taken by Cody Gilham. Gilham angled a pass on the ground toward the top of
the 18 yard box where Derrick Sims was waiting to strike it into the
opponent's net. Coming out from halftime with a 2-0 lead, Midway only took
three minutes to get the scoring started again. Ricardo Romero drew the
attention of the Robinson defenders as he maneuvered with the ball at the
top left of the goal box. He then laid the ball off to Jacob Holecek who was
running unmarked through the middle. Holecek easily slid the ball into the
corner of the net. The final goal came later in the second half on a play
that was started by winger Sims on the defensive side of midfield. After a
Robinson attack had been thwarted, Sims collected the ball along the left
sideline and quickly started a counterattack by passing it down the line to
Romero on the offensive end of the field. Romero took the ball toward the
left corner, then cut inside a defender, which gave him a clean approach to
the left post. The keeper came at him, but Romero was able to send the ball
past and into the right corner of the goal. Despite being down, Robinson
kept working and was able to get on the scoreboard with under 5 minutes
left.
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The JVI side downed
Robinson 10-0 on Monday, 2/16.
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The JV squads take two
from University on Valentine's Day. JVI won 2-1, while JVII won 2-0.
-
Panthers edge scrappy La
Vega side, 2-0. Playing away from home on Friday, 2/13, the Midway
varsity boys encountered a La Vega squad that refused to be put away. The
Panthers took the lead in the 10th minute on the strength of an Anthony Cantu strike from the left top of the La Vega goal box.
Cantu was
set up when teammate Ricardo Romero laid the ball off from the top
center of the box. Midway dominated possession for the remainder of the
first half, but could not add to their lead. In the second half, La Vega
came out intent on making a match of it. The home side competed well for
possession in the middle of the field, keeping Midway's scoring chances to a
minimum and staying within striking distance of drawing even until deep into
the second half. But Midway added an insurance goal in the final minutes
when Romero made a left side run that ended in a hard, shallow cross
past the face of the goal. The La Vega keeper dove to punch it out, but the
momentum of the ball carried it to the right side of the box where Jacob Holecek chased it down and put it in the net before the keeper could
recover.
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Varsity downs Lorena 6-0
at home. The varsity earned a district win at home on Tuesday, 2/10
against Lorena. The winning goal was actually scored less that a minute into
the match when Cody Gilham was fouled on the right side moments after
the opening kickoff. Defender Scottie Newberry came up to take the
free kick, which he arched toward the far post and onto the head of Derrick
Sims for the goal. The next goal came in the 14th minute when Anthony
Cantu maneuvered his way to the top left of the Lorena goal box and
fired a shot over the keeper's head. The third goal, like the first, came
off a Newberry free kick. But unlike the previous, Newberry
didn't need help from a teammate this time. He put the kick, taken in the
21st minute from the center of the midfield stripe, directly into the top
left corner of the goal. This was followed four minutes later by a strike
from Jacob Holecek who was set up at the top right of the 18 yd box
by Anthony Calao, who made a long run from the right defensive
position. Holecek followed his goal with another a minute later when
he stole a ball in the Lorena goal box and beat the keeper. That capped the
scoring in the first half for a 5-0 halftime lead for the Panthers. Early in
the second half, Sims matched Holecek with his second goal,
striking from close range on the left side after running onto a great ball
played across from the right side by Chavis Colliver. That proved to
be the final goal of the match, for a 6-0 Midway victory.
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Midway Varsity survives thriller
against
Waco
High, 3-2. On
Friday, Feb 6 the Midway varsity boys visited Waco ISD Stadium to take on
Waco High. The two teams sparred back and forth in the first half, but went
to the locker room scoreless as neither could break through the other’s
defense. That changed early in the second period, when
Waco forward Kollin
Kahler capitalized on a Midway miscue that left him
alone with Midway goalkeeper Johann Vasquez.
Vasquez charged out to challenge
Kahler, but Kahler slid the
ball past him and into the net for the 1-0 lead. That margin looked as if it
might hold up as the final as
Waco
successfully thwarted attacks from an increasingly desperate Midway side
searching for an equalizer. But with the seconds counting down, a
Waco foul gave Midway a
free kick from about 40 yards out along the left sideline. Midway brought
everyone up into the
Waco
box for a final chance. Midway winger Derrick
Sims launched a ball that curled toward the far post and found
the head of Midway defender Cameron Dorsett.
Dorsett found just enough space in
the crowded box to snap the ball into the net, improbably knotting the match with
only 9 ticks left on the clock, sending the game into two 10 minute overtime
periods. Midway, fueled by the excitement of their comeback, pressed the
advantage early in the first overtime, earning several good free kick chances
that
Waco was
able to fend off. But it was a
Waco free kick that
put
Waco back
on top and Midway back playing catch-up. About halfway through the first
overtime period, following a Midway foul, Waco defender Ernesto Guevara teed-up
from about 40 yards out in the center of the field. The strong-legged Guevara
drove a hard line drive straight toward the Midway goalkeeper,
Vasquez. As the ball entered the goal
box, however, it took a slight deflection off a Midway defender, which was enough
to redirect it into the right corner of the net as the helpless
Vasquez looked on. That allowed
Waco to take a 2-1 lead
into the second overtime. But the visitors turned the tables about halfway
through the final period when Midway’s
Sims got another opportunity for a free kick, this time from about
30 yards away along the right sideline. Sims
curled a perfectly-placed shot over the
Waco
keeper’s head and just inside the back post, drawing Midway even for a
second time and setting the stage for a frantic finish. The final blow came with
about two minutes left after Midway pressed the ball deep into the right
corner of
Waco’s
defense. Cut off in the corner, Midway dropped the ball back to defender
Anthony Calao along the right
sideline about 50 yards out. With plenty of space in front,
Calao patiently surveyed the box
before launching a long ball toward the far post. Midway forward Ricardo
Romero got his head on the ball just
outside the left post and sent it looping over the outstretched arms of
Waco’s goalkeeper
for the winning goal.
Waco
threw everything they had at the Midway goal in the final two minutes, but
Midway was able to keep them out and preserve the thrilling come-from-behind
victory.
-
Varsity stumbles against University.
On Tuesday, 2/3, the varsity
traveled cross-town to take on rival University, but came away disappointed
with a 1-4 loss. University controlled much of the play in the first half,
sneaking in one goal for a 0-1 halftime lead. Midway started much better in
the second half, gaining control of the play, but University took advantage of
a momentary defensive confusion by the Panthers to bump their lead to 0-2. It
looked as if that might be the final margin until, with about 10 minutes
left, Anthony Calao collected a
ball and started a counterattack from his defensive position that created a
numbers advantage for Midway. Calao
took the ball the length of the field before laying it off at the last moment
to Ricardo Romero on the left
side. Romero was challenged by the
keeper at the left post but managed to slide the ball across the goal where
it deflected off a defender and into the net. With the score back to 1-2,
Midway looked to have a chance in the final minutes. Unfortunately, a
violation, the nature of which was unclear, was called on a Midway defender,
giving University a free kick from short range. They converted the chance for
a 1-3 lead and deflated the Panthers' hopes in the process. University added
a fourth goal shortly thereafter.
-
Varsity starts district play with pair of wins.
On Thursday, 1/29, The varsity
traveled to Mexia and came away with an 8-0 victory. Derrick Sims had
the hot foot, scoring four of Midway's goals. The remaining four were
contributed by Chavis Colliver, Ricardo Romero, Cody Gilham,
and Anthony Calao. Calao and Michael Edwards also had
assists. The following night, Midway hosted Cameron for a 6-0 win. The
scoring started in the 32 minute when Gilham laid the ball off to
Anthony Cantu on the right side of the box. Cantu drove a shot
into the left side netting. Six minutes later, Jacob Holecek took a
thrown in from the left side that bounced over a defender in the box and
found the foot of Sims, who drove a hard half volley into the back of
the net. Sims continued his two-night scoring outburst in the 48th
minute, again off a throw in. This time the throw in deflected off a defender
and careened around the box before Sims punched it in. Six minutes
later, Romero got loose along the left byline and attacked the left
post. After drawing the defense to him he played a ball across the face of
the goal that Phil Pillers ran onto at the back post for the finish.
The final two goals of the night both came as a result of penalty kicks. In
the 71st minute, Edwards was tripped as he attacked the goal. Pillers
made good on the PK. In the 76th minute it was the same story, this time with
Gilham going to ground. Gilham took his own PK, which was
blocked by the keeper, but Gilham followed the rebound and put away
the second chance.
-
JVI posts 7-0 victory over McGregor; JVII wins 5-1 vs. China Spring, on Monday, January 26.
-
Varsity boys edge Killeen Ellison 2-0
on Friday, January 23. Playing at
home for the first time this season, the varsity boys successfully battled to
victory over 5A Killeen Ellison. Although Midway held the edge throughout the
match on scoring attempts, Ellison worked hard to keep the scoreboard knotted
at zero. Midway finally broke through with under 15 minutes remaining when
Anthony Cantu played a ball through to Ricardo Romero in the
center of the Ellison box. Romero slid the ball past the charging keeper and
into the net. Ellison mounted a threat to answer a few minutes later,
culminating in a dangerous shot that rebounded off the Midway cross-bar.
Midway finally cleared the ball to eliminate the threat, and shortly
thereafter sealed the win with a goal from Jacob Holecek. Holecek
scored from short range directly in front of the goal thanks to a ball played
from Ricardo Romero. After getting free in the left corner, Romero
attacked the left post, which drew the keeper toward him and left Holecek
free in the middle.
-
JVI wins Copperas Cove Tournament without letting in a goal!
The JVI squad beat Waco JVI by a
score of 1-0 on Saturday, January 24 in the championship game of the Cove
Tourney. Midway advanced to the championship with wins over Harker Heights
(5-0), Brownwood (4-0), and Waco JVII (3-0).
-
JVII win three, lose one in Midlothian Tournament.
Jan 22-24, JVII defeated Irving
MacArthur 1-0, Midlothian 6-0, and University 3-2, and dropped their first
match to S. Grand Prairie 0-2.
-
On Monday, January 19, JV teams battled Belton. JVII came away with a 6-0 Win,
while JVI suffered a 2-1 defeat. Also, on Friday, January 16, the JVII team
defeated Killeen Ellison 5-0.
-
3-0 road win
versus
Harker
Heights. Midway went on the road Monday
night, January 19 and defeated 5A
Harker
Heights. The Panthers
took a two goal lead into halftime on the strength of a pair of strikes from
Ricardo Romero. The first was
taken from near the top of the box after a ball was played forward from
midfield by Jacob Holecek. The
second was punched in from the middle of the box after Chavis
Colliver successfully battled for
a header. Holecek capped the
scoring in the second half with a long strike from the left wing. Anthony
Cantu set up
Holecek on the left side with a ball played from the midfield.
Keepers Johann Vasquez and Ryan
Cortinas, with help from the
defensive line, kept the Knights shut out.
-
Varsity completes Governor's Cup with 5-1 victory over
El Paso Andress
on Saturday, 1/17. Midway kicked off the scoring about
midway through the first half when Anthony Cantu made a pass from
midfield to Cody Gilham on the right side. Gilham charged the
near post to draw the keeper, then crossed the ball
to Ricardo Romero for the finish in front of the goal. A short while
later, Romero received a pass in midfield with his back to the goal
and held the ball waiting for help. Jacob Holecek made a hard run to
the left of center and Romero laid off a
beautiful back heel pass that caught the defenders flatfooted and put Holecek
in on the keeper for the score. Midway added a third goal before halftime
when Scottie Newberry took a free kick from midfield that found the
foot of Derrick Sims near the left post. Sims buried the ball
in the right corner of the net. Andress fought back
with a goal of their own early in the second half,
but Midway answered with a second goal from Romero off a cross from
the right side by Chavis Colliver. Later, Holecek
also added his second goal when he punched in a corner kick taken by Sims.
-
Second game of Governor's Cup ends in draw.
On Friday, January 16, the varsity
boys fought 5A Austin Bowie to a 0-0 draw.
-
The Varsity Boys kicked off the Governor's Cup with a 3-2 victory over
Hays on Thursday,
January 15 in
Georgetown.
Chavis Colliver put Midway ahead in the
first two minutes of the match when he slipped in on the keeper thanks to a
through-ball played by Anthony Cantu. Just a short while later, Colliver
was involved again, this time on the assist. He played a ball to Jacob Holecek
who took a shot from outside the right post. The keeper blocked the shot, but
Holecek picked up the rebound and was not denied the second time.
Midway looked to be on their way to a sure victory, but Hayes fought back to
level the match at 2-2, scoring goals just before and after halftime. The
stalemate was broken with under ten minutes left
when Ricardo Romero drew a hard foul while attacking in the Hayes
penalty area. Scottie Newberry planted the penalty kick in the back of
the net to earn the win.
-
The JV I and JV II teams continued winning Tuesday, January 13 in
Belton, with
scores of 3-1 and 8-1, respectively.
-
Midway wins the
Temple
Tournament with a 1-0
victory over Brenham, the preseason #1 ranked team in the state! The two teams batted in cold,
windy conditions on Saturday, January 10. Both teams played hard, but Midway
got the only goal they needed in the latter part of the first half. Anthony Cantu
dribbled the ball into the right corner and then crossed it to the left side of
the goal where Tim Peterson was stationed. Peterson headed the ball
back toward the right post and onto the head of Ricardo Romero, who
knocked it into the net over the outstretched arms of the keeper. The
impressive win completed a flawless tournament for Midway, which scored a
total of 13 goals while giving up none. Keepers Johann Vasquez and
Ryan Cortinas head into the next game with clean score-sheets.
PHOTO BRENHAM NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
WACO NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
-
The JV I and JV II teams both notched wins on Saturday in
Temple
as well, defeating
Temple
teams by scores of 6-0 and 2-1 respectively.
-
Midway continued its run through the Temple Tournament on Friday, January 9 by defeating
Odessa 4-0 and
Rockwall 5-0. The pair of wins, coupled with the previous day's victory, put
Midway into Saturday's championship game. Against
Odessa, Ricardo Romero struck first
after picking up a loose ball in the box and driving it into the right corner
of the net. The ball became available to Romero thanks to
Chavis Colliver's deep run into the box with the
ball. The second goal was a 25 yd shot from center by Jacob Holecek
off a nice pass from Anthony Calao, who had pushed forward from his
defensive position. Later, Romero, Holecek, and Colliver
were all once again involved in a goal. Romero made a long run
forward, then laid the ball out to Holecek on
the left side. Holecek promptly crossed it to the back post where Colliver
was waiting to finish. Holecek was not finished though. He played
another ball from the center out to the left side for Derrick Sims,
who fired a shot into the right corner of the goal to complete the scoring.
One more scoring opportunity of note came when Cameron Dorsett put the
ball on goal by way of a fantastic bicycle kick. Unfortunately, the
Odessa keeper was able
to just punch the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick. In the second
game of the day, it was more of the same. The scoring started with Holecek
making a long run up the middle of the field and beating the keeper. Romero
followed with a chip over the charging keeper off a through-ball played by
Anthony Cantu. Romero scored again when he tried to cross the ball
from the right side to the left. The ball was deflected back toward him by a
defender, so he shot it instead. Cody Gilham got in the assist column
when he played a ball to Colliver who finished from the right side.
The final goal came from Phil Pillers who drove the ball into the net
from the left side after Colliver's shot from the right side rebounded
off the cross bar. The defensive play of the day came when keeper Johann Vasquez
charged out to tackle an opponent who had gotten loose in the box. Vasquez
blocked the shot, but the ball rebounded to another opponent who found
himself looking at an open goal. The hard shot he
subsequently launched looked to be a sure goal, but defender Derrick Sims,
racing back to help Vasquez, got his foot in the way just at the goal
line, thus keeping the Midway score sheet clean.
-
The Midway Varsity opened the 2009 campaign with a 3-0 win against
Kaufman in the
Temple
Tournament on Thursday,
January 8. Midway took a 1-0 lead into halftime by virtue of a goal by
Ricardo Romero, assisted by Jacob Holecek. Romero struck
again in the second half after running onto a long ball sent forward from the
back line by Scottie Newberry. Newberry added a goal to his
assist near the end of the game when he came forward from his defensive
position to head a ball into the net on a corner kick by Derrick Sims.
|
|
Team
Record
|
|
W
|
L
|
D
|
|
23
|
2
|
1
|
|
District
Record
|
|
13
|
1
|
0
|
|
Team
Stats
|
|
GF
|
97
|
|
GA
|
16
|
|
Shutouts |
17 |
|
Ind. Scoring Stats
|
|
Player
|
Goal
|
Asst
|
|
Romero
|
26
|
17
|
|
Holecek
|
20
|
10
|
|
Colliver
|
4
|
9
|
|
Sims
|
20
|
7
|
|
Newberry
|
6
|
6
|
|
Cantu
|
4
|
9
|
|
Pillers
|
5
|
1
|
|
Peterson
|
|
2
|
|
Gilham
|
3
|
12
|
|
Calao
|
1
|
6
|
|
Edwards
|
3
|
2
|
|
Dorsett
|
4
|
1
|
|
Schmidt |
1 |
|
|
Pankonien |
|
1 |
|
JV I
Team Record
|
|
W
|
L
|
D
|
|
17
|
2
|
0
|
|
GF |
67 |
|
GA |
11 |
|
JV
II Team Record
|
|
W
|
L
|
D
|
|
18
|
1
|
0
|
|
GF |
79 |
|
GA |
13 |
|
