The LHHS Men’s Wildcat Soccer Team celebrates with Peyton, Jackson, Peri and Jacob Powell
The Men’s Wildcat Soccer Team hosted special guests at their big game Friday night against Berkner, and the Howell kids turned out to be lucky charms.
Peri Howell is in Rhonda Barnes’ Kindergarten class at White Rock Elementary, but her brothers Peyton (1st grade), Jackson (3rd grade) and Jacob (1st grade) all loved Mrs. Barnes when she was their teacher, too. Jackie and Paul Howell jumped at the chance to buy a night of pizza and soccer at the WRE auction in October.
Rhonda and her husband hosted the kids at CiCi’s (“It’s been awhile since Eugene and I have been to CiCi’s – it hasn’t changed a bit!”), and their son, Trent, a senior on the LHHS squad, hosted them on the soccer field with the rest of the welcoming team.
Here’s a recap of the game – with plenty of color commentary – from team dad and announcer Thomas Fuerst:
“For those that missed it, it was another enthralling encounter in the Boneyard. The Cats opened the scoring early with a powerful, close-range shot by senior midfielder Grant Norris. LHHS then dominated the game for a spell, missing a few chances to double the lead.
“This dry spell nearly came back to haunt the Cats when the Rams tied the game with a header ten minutes into the second half after LHHS failed to clear their lines. The game then settled into a familiar back-and-forth chess match, with neither team able to grab the winner. All that LHHS had to show for it was a few yellow cards, illustrating their growing frustration.
“All this changed midway through the second half when senior forward Wes Osborn decided he’d had enough and, taking the game by the scruff of the neck, unleashed a 30-yard “golazo incredibilay”, that tucked just inside the post and beyond the outstretched hands of the Ram keeper. It was a goal worthy of a highlight reel at any level and was nearly matched in the spectacular department a few minutes later by the Cats’ Brennan Addison. The junior defender drove deep into Ram territory, but his position, nearly at the sideline, didn’t raise concerns for the Ram defense. This cost them dearly, however, as Brennan struck a seering shot across the Berkner bow, over the hapless keeper, and into the side netting to extend the LHHS lead. His shot was a clear, ‘oh, yeah, watch this’ statement to his LHHS teammates.”
The Cats won 3-1.
