HHS, TMP could face each other
By RANDY GONZALES
The boys' soccer teams from Hays High School and Thomas More Prep-Marian could meet in the semifinals of the sixth annual McPherson Invitational.
But both coaches are focusing on Monday's first-round games. TMP (1-0) will play Salina South (0-1-1) at 10 a.m., followed by Hays High (2-0) against Augusta (1-1) at noon.
"Our focus right now is on Augusta," HHS coach Chris Michaelis said.
"Nobody's really talking about it; everybody's thinking about it," TMP coach Shawn Lawson said of a possible Thursday game with Hays High. "It's one of those things -- looking ahead. I don't want to look past Salina South."
HHS senior striker Devin Schmidt, who scored two goals in a win over Salina Central on Thursday, said a TMP matchup has crossed his mind.
"It's hard not to think about it, but however it ends out, that's how it's going to be," he said, adding Augusta is the top priority.
"We're just trying to start out like last year," Schmidt said. We started out 4-0 -- try to start 5-0 this year."
Hays High beat Wichita-Trinity last year in the final to win the McPherson tourney for the second time. TMP dropped its tourney opener, then won its next two games to take the consolation championship.
Winning that first game is uppermost in Lawson's mind. TMP has never won its opener at McPherson.
"Getting that first win, getting into the winners' bracket, has always been the goal," he said. "Last year, it didn't happen, but we got two wins."
TMP likely will be without senior midfielder Jordan Maska for the tourney opener, and possibly longer. Maska is out indefinitely with a knee injury suffered in last week's season-opening win over Elyria Christian. Maska is scheduled to get a second opinion on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury and subsequent treatment.
"I'm planning on not having him," Lawson said. "If he's available, that's great."
For the tournament, Lawson is thinking of using senior Regelio Gonzalez, normally an offensive midfielder and forward, as the defensive midfielder. Junior Colby Schippers would move to an attacking midfielder position.