HHS soccer sets school record for single season wins
By RANDY GONZALES
Assistant Hay High School girls' soccer coach Matt Brooks wasn't all that nervous filling in for head coach Chris Michaelis in Thursday's match against Salina Central.
Why should he be nervous, he reasoned. After all, he had a record-setting Indian squad playing for him at the HHS field in the regular-season finale.
"If it would have been our first game, I would have been a little more nervous," said Brooks, taking over as coach with Michaelis on a school trip.
"The girls have done a good job all year, they know what to do," Brooks said.
Hays High knows all about winning this season. The Indians blanked Salina Central 3-0 for the program's first-ever win over the Mustangs.
HHS had been 0-11 lifetime against Salina Central entering the match.
Thursday's win also marked the first time the HHS girls have beaten both Salina South and Salina Central -- both usually state powers -- in the same season. Earlier this spring, HHS beat Salina South on penalty kicks for the first-ever win over that school.
Hays High (12-4) also broke the school record for most wins in a season by the Indian girls' program. HHS finished 11-4-2 in 2005.
"The game was meaningless as far as regionals go, but they needed to play as if it was regionals, for all the opportunities they had (to break records)," Brooks said.
Hays High junior forward Kelsey Hedlund also tied the school's single-season record for goals with her 13th on Thursday. Emily Disney scored 13 goals in 2005.
The Indians have at least one match left, with the playoffs starting next week. The program also could set season records for most goals scored and fewest goals allowed.
The HHS girls have scored 38 goals this year; the record is 41, set in 2001. Hays High has allowed 15 goals; the record is 19, set in 2000.
Also, Thursday's shutout was the team's ninth of the season, tying the record set by the 2005 squad.
HHS senior goalkeeper Lindsey Dinkel made just two saves. HHS had six shots on goal against Mustang freshman keeper Bailey Counts, including five in the first half, when the Indians scored all of their goals.
Hays High scored on senior Betsy Dreiling's penalty kick in the 29th minute after Indian sophomore Jessie Steffen was tackled from behind in the penalty area by Salina Central senior Jessica Sheahon. Counts got a hand on Dreiling's low shot on the PK, but not enough to prevent the goal, Dreiling's sixth of the year.
A routine play turned into another HHS goal in the 34th minute. Dinkel booted a long ball into Salina Central's side of the field, where it took a high bounce and headed toward the goal. Instead of giving up on the play, Steffen pressured Counts, who came off her line to play the ball.
Counts mishandled the ball, and it got past her, with Steffen collecting it and scoring easily for her fifth goal of the season and her second in two matches. Steffen missed five games with a knee injury before returning to the lineup on April 29.
"It was so hard, just watching practice. They were always pushing me to come back," Steffen said of her teammates.
Steffen's goal was indicative of her hustle on the field, which gives the team a boost.
"I like to be out there, be a spark," Steffen said. "But it's not just me, it's my teammates, too."
Hays High finished the scoring with Hedlund's record-tying goal in the 37th. Dreiling crossed the ball from the right side to Hedlund in the box, where she beat Counts for a 3-0 lead.
Salina Central (7-8-1) had its best scoring opportunity in the second half. In the 43rd, Mustang senior Lauren Vanier hit the near post with her shot. Dinkel couldn't collect the rebound, but HHS sophomore Shelby Sulzman cleared the ball as it rolled near the goal line.
Hays High will host a regional playoff game next week. The opponent and date will be determined at Saturday's seeding meeting..
