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PHS soccer teams kick it up a notch
Patricia Farrell
BANNER CORRESPONDENT
The PHS girls soccer team is getting downright good. While winning four of their last six games the progress for the young junior varsity squad has been striking. They have kicked and clawed their way to a 5-5-1 record and have every reason to believe they could end up with a winning record this season.
Over the past week they beat both Harwich and Cape Cod Academy by a score of 6-1. In both games junior forward Melissa Lomba was an offensive force unto herself, putting two away during the Harwich game and getting a hat trick in the win against CCA.
“She’s [Lomba] getting so good that in games that we’re way ahead we’re having her work on other skills like turning and forwarding the ball,” said coach Mandy Shaw.
Holly Rose with two goals and Jenny Schmidt and Airelle Kiefer with one apiece rounded out the scoring in the Harwich game.
Similarly, Rose added two in Thursday’s game at CCA while Schmidt added another one.
There was even reason for optimism in last Friday’s 4-2 loss to South Shore Christian Academy. After taking a 7-4 bruising from SSCA during their homecoming game, coach Shaw saw a lot that she liked. “The score was 1-1 at the half and we didn’t let them run away this time. The defense did a great job with stepping up and containing. Katy Ward and Katie Martinez have been awesome. They’re not hesitating, they’re going right to the ball and they’re speaking up and communicating. That and the fact that as a team they’re all learning how to switch the field on a regular basis, it’s just amazing to watch their improvement.”
The girls’ final game is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 28, at Harwich.
The boys’ squad is also hoping to improve their current 6-8-1 record to .500 and, as a varsity squad, they are holding onto to a slim chance of making it to the playoffs.
Last Thursday’s home 4-2 win versus CCA was a step in the right direction. With Chris Sair back in the goal, Derek Menangas and Alex Rokicki were freed up to do some of the things they do best, including feeding the ball to senior strikers Tyrone Phipps and Zach Luster. For left-side forward Rokicki that meant digging the ball out of the corner and making crosses in front of the net. For Menangas it meant taking the majority of the throw-ins.
Somehow the senior midfielder has the ability to toss the ball in a way that lets it float high and far toward his teammates. (It’s something that needs to be seen to be believed.)
After trailing 1-0 at the half, the PHS boys’ came out like a bunch of hornets who didn’t appreciate being disturbed. Within the first five minutes of the half, after making his way past two CCA defenders, Luster scored an unassisted goal to tie the game.
Two go-ahead goals came courtesy of headers by Tyrone Phipps. The first off of one of Menangas’ patented throw-ins, the second off of a corner kick. CCA was able to close it to within 3-2 after Luster was forced to leave the game because of a second yellow card. However, Nico Tunbar was able to add another goal late in the game and the victory was preserved.
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PHS Sports
Nauset Sports |
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Oct 21st, 2004