By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
It’s no secret that the Shawnee Heights boys’ soccer team has been rolling through the United Kansas Conference this year.
The Thunderbirds advanced to 6-0 in United Kansas Conference play after a 3-0 shutout over Piper Tuesday night at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
Shawnee Heights senior Jordan Garvin (9) scored a pair of goals in Tuesday night's 3-0 UKC win over Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights junior Jack Martin had a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 3-0 win over Piper. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The six wins in the conference have all come in a row and Shawnee Heights has looked like a force to be reckoned with.
In the six-game win streak, Heights has shut out four opponents and has outscored its United Kansas Conference foes, 17-3.
Offensively, Shawnee Heights had stellar production from Jordan Garvin and Jack Martin in the win versus Piper. Garvin had two goals while Martin had a goal and an assist. Going into the contest, Piper had only allowed three goals in the previous four games.
“We knew coming into today that Piper was going to be a solid team with a dangerous attack,” Shawnee Heights coach Nic Simons said. “Piper at times made us look silly defensively in the first half. I think we did a good job of adjusting in the second half. Our center backs and outside backs did a great job in particular with making those adjustments.''
You’d think that the Thunderbirds would have some fatigue in tired legs after a 1-0 win over De Soto 24 hours before the kick off of the Piper contest. But the Thunderbirds looked fresh and ready to go from the beginning until the end.
Shawnee Heights wasted no time putting a goal on the board Tuesday night. With 25:57 left in the first half, Martin set up Garvin in the middle of the goalie box for Garvin to nail the goal.
Piper’s defense would step it up for the next 23 minutes before Martin netted a goal within a crowded box with 1:35 left before the halftime break.
“I think where we got the edge tonight was through the midfield,” Simons said. “Our guys up top put in some terrific work throughout the game. Our guys up top kept pounding and our midfielders did a great job of spacing things out. The midfielders gave our guys up top a lot of room to work with.”
After Martin’s goal, it was apparent that Shawnee Heights was riding the momentum of its season’s success.
Within the 1:22 of the second half, Garvin would get his second goal of the night which was assisted by Jose “Fico” Guajardo-Arizpe. The fast start and three-goal advantage allowed Shawnee Heights to play smoothly and easily.
The terrific effort by the Thunderbird defense kept Piper shut down for the remainder of the half and Shawnee Heights would come away with the convincing victory.
Shawnee Heights (6-3-1) will host Topeka High (5-4) next Tuesday at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 3, PIPER 0
Piper (6-4) 0 0 – 0
Shawnee Heights (6-3-1) 2 1 – 3
Shawnee Heights – Goals: Garvin 2, Martin, Assists: Guajardo-Arizpe, Martin, Shutout: Freeman.
