Hays High soccer earns shutout on Senior Day
By RANDY GONZALES
For the first time, Chris Michaelis had a tie flapping in the breeze at Tuesday's Senior Day for the Hays High School girls' soccer team.
Michaelis, the team's veteran coach, watched his Indian squad shut out Dodge City 5-0 in Western Athletic Conference action at the HHS field.
"It's the first time I've done this," Michaelis said of dressing up for Senior Day. "First time I've coached a game with a tie.
"I did it for the seniors, how much respect I have for them," Michaelis added.
"We just really wanted to come out and win this one," Hays High senior midfielder Kiley Johansen said. "It was especially big for the seniors, we wanted to win big."
Hays High (11-4 overall, 6-2 WAC) scored four goals in the first half against an overmatched Dodge City (2-13, 0-7) side.
"We came out and got an early goal," Michaelis said. "We've been successful doing that the last six, seven, eight games."
Junior Elisha Schultz scored the first of her two goals in the second minute. Junior forward Kelsey Hedlund followed with the first of her two goals in the 10th minute. Both players made runs through the Red Demon back line that gave open space to the HHS forwards.
Sophomore forward Jessie Steffen scored from the top of the penalty area in the 16th minute to make it 3-0.
Hedlund scored again just before halftime. In the 40th minute, Schultz served the ball into the box, where Hedlund scored after being left unmarked.
Hays High peppered Dodge City sophomore goalkeeper Natausha Sanchez with nine shots on goal in the first half. Hedlund had four of them, and her two goals give her 12 on the season, one behind the single-season record set by Emily Disney in 2005.
The Indians have at least two matches remaining for Hedlund to tie or break the record. HHS plays host to Salina Central at 4 p.m. Thursday at the HHS field in the regular season finale, then will open postseason play next week.
Schultz scored the lone goal of the second half, in the 59th minute. Schultz, who didn't score her first goal of the year until the sixth game, is now second on the team behind Hedlund with seven.
"She has very good ball skills, probably has our best leg strength, right foot-left foot combined," Michaelis said.
Senior keeper Lindsey Dinkel made two saves in Hays High's eighth shutout of the season. Dinkel was replaced by sophomore Renee Kippes in the second half, when Michaelis honored his seniors by taking them off the field late in the match.
"They work together well," Michaelis said of his seniors.
Hays High tied the record for most wins in a season by beating Dodge City.
The HHS girls went 11-4-2 in 2005. A victory over Salina Central would break the record for most wins and would also mark the first time HHS has beaten both Central and Salina South in the same season.
"We've got some great opportunities Thursday," said Michaelis, who will be on a school trip and miss the Salina Central match.
HHS assistant Matt Brooks will coach the Indians on Thursday.
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