Kennedy Goes to 11-1 With Win Over East

After the first postponement of the season on Tuesday (Cedar Rapids Prairie), Kennedy got back to action on Thursday night as they hosted the Trojans of Waterloo East. The game looked to be an easy one for the Cougars and it was, but not quite as easy as expected.

A much improved East team played aggressive, strong defense for most of the game and did not roll over as they have in the past, especially in the last six years as Kennedy has beaten the Trojans by scores of: 17-0 in 2004, 15-0 in 2005, 6-0 in 2006, 14-0 in 2007, and 19-0 in 2008. And it looked to be just as bad this season as East was winless so far and the Cougars entered the game as the #2 ranked team in the state and the #9 rated team in Region III (states include Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and Wyoming) according to the NSCAA.

The game started on an exceptional note for Kennedy. The Cougars took the opening kickoff, strung together a few passes and had the lead just nine seconds into the match. Junior Zach Pape found fellow junior Erik Boyer at the top of the penalty area. Boyer turned his defender and then slotted the ball back across the area to Pape who had continued his run forward. Pape hit the ball one touch into the top corner of the back post for the 1-0 lead.

Kennedy doubled its lead on a goal from Boyer in the 10th minute. Another string of intricate passes lead to senior Reid Galbraith playing senior Chris Bruns in behind the Trojan defense. Bruns fired a left-footed ball that was going wide until a sliding Boyer tapped the ball home for a 2-0 lead.

East, to its credit, did not back down and kept the Cougars at bay for most of the rest of the half. Kennedy had chances, but could not put any more into the net until the final minute of the half. A corner kick in the final 30 seconds was taken by junior Brian Vander Ploeg. His service was well-placed and met at the front post by Bruns, who deftly poked the ball into the goal, giving the Cougars the lead at the interval, 3-0.

In the second half Kennedy’s quality started to overwhelm the East team’s effort, and once again in the first 10 minutes of the half the Cougars struck. In the 42nd minute, off another corner kick, junior Phil Vermie played the ball to Galbraith. He got down the end-line and found sophomore Nick Bruns making a darting run to the top of the six-yard box. Bruns finished easily to push the Kennedy lead to 4-0.

With the East High defenders tiring, a four goal outburst in ten minutes put the game well out of reach for the Trojans.  It started in the 57th minute with Pape combining with Boyer to send Boyer behind all but the last defender. Boyer then found Vermie on a backside run and slotted the ball to him. Vermie, with composure, easily finished the chance for the 5-0 lead. Three minutes later Kennedy was on the board again off another corner, this time it was Vermie scoring directly for the 6-0 lead. Four minutes after that junior Drake King ripped a shot towards goal that was unluckily deflected in by the Trojan defender, making the score 7-0. Two minute later it was 8-0 when senior Nick Plagman won a ball in the attacking third of the field and found freshman Connor Dochterman on a run through the East defense. Dochterman calmly poked the ball under the goalkeeper for the score.

The final 14 minutes saw the Cougars reserves finish off the game, although the shutout had to be maintained with a sensational save by freshman Ben Feltes in goal with only 3 seconds remaining. The East back made a run forward, dribbled three defenders then momentarily lost possession. He immediately won the ball back and fired a ball heading towards the upper corner of the back post. Feltes, using great footwork, got across the goal and made a fantastic diving save, parrying the ball wide of the goal for a corner kick. Time ran out before the kick could be taken, with Kennedy winning, 8-0.