By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After a slow start, Washburn Rural's soccer team had plenty to celebrate in Saturday afternoon's 7-2 non-league season-opening win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel at McElroy Field.
But the Junior Blues also had to sweat out a very scary incident that left them without senior goalkeeper Ethan Uhlrig for the final 31 minutes of the match.
Washburn Rural senior Devon Rutschmann (10) is congratulated by his teammates after scoring his third goal in Saturday's 7-2 season-opening soccer win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel at McElroy field. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Kapaun Mr. Carmel put Washburn Rural on its heels early with two goals in the opening 9:16 of the game, but the Junior Blues rallied with seven straight goals to turn the game into a rout behind a three-goal hat trick from senior Devon Rutschmann and a pair of goals from senior Griffin Heinen.
But the Blues' impressive rally was somewhat overshadowed by the injury to Uhlrig, who was temporarily knocked out on a kick to the head by a Crusader player as Uhlrig came up with a save in the box.
Uhlrig's injury resulted in a lengthy delay before the Rural player was taken from the field by ambulance and transported to a local hospital to be examined.
"Before the game we even told the guys, 'This is supposed to be fun, don't be stressed about your first game. Let's have fun, let's enjoy doing this,' '' Washburn Rural coach Brian Henseyl said. "But this is just a reminder that what these guys are going to take away from playing high school sports isn't the wins and losses and statistics. Its your teammates and the memories and when this happens it just kind of reminds you that that's the important stuff -- the kids.
"We're hoping that Ethan's going to be OK. I think he's going to be OK. Luckily we have a good backup (senior Brayden Lehnherr) that could come in, but the guys, one of their teammates went down and that's never easy to see.''
Rutschmann agreed.
"That's my best friend,'' he said. "Since I transferred here he's been my guy and it was awful to see him go down. Hopefully we'll see him soon and I hope he's alright and we'll get him back up running and back in with the group.''
Senior Ben Scognamillo converted a penalty kick to put Kapaun up 1-0 8:55 into the match and then sophomore Roman Scognamillo made it a 2-0 game with 30:44 left in the half.
But just a little over a minute later sophomore Liam Morrison got Washburn Rural on the scoreboard and senior Benett Hallauer tied the game with 10:53 left in the half before Heinen and Rutschmann scored to put Rural in command by the break.
"You work all summer and you do all the stuff all summer and then nine minutes of the game you're down 2-0,'' Hensyel said. "Some of it was some unlucky stuff, but Kapaun also just came out and played really well.
"It was the wakep call we needed but the response was great and at halftime to have a 4-2 lead was a big deal and then the second half we cruised. We told the guys (Kapaun) won the first 10 minutes of the game and we were able to win the last 70 and that's the difference.''
Rutschmann scored two second-half goals to finish off his hat trick and Heinen scored his second goal of the day in the second half.
Heinen also was credited with a pair of assists while Morrison, senior Cohen Nimz, junior Matthew Houser and junior Pierce Cannon also had assists.
"The first 10 minutes we started a little slow and went down 2-0 but then our effort picked up and you could see we wanted it more and started playing down in their end and sometimes the ball just bounces right and it goes in,'' Rutschmann said.
Lehnherr came on in relief to keep Kapaun off the scoreboard after Uhlrig's injury and Hensyel said he was proud of his whole team for the way they finished out the match.
Washburn Rural senior goalkeeper Ethan Uhlrig talks with medical personnel after sufferering an injury in Saturday's 7-2 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"They wanted to keep playing with energy,'' Hensyel said. "Any time that happens it's kind of a weird thing, but right now the game doesn't matter a whole lot, we just want Ethan to be OK.''
Washburn Rural will be back in action on Tuesday, hosting city rival Shawnee Heights.
WASHBURN RURAL 7, KAPAUN MT. CARMEL 2
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2 0 -- 2
Washburn Rural 4 3 -- 7
Kapaun Mt. Carmel -- Goals: B. Scognamillo, R. Scognamillo,
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Rutschmann 3, Heinen 2, Morrison, Hallauer. Assists: Heinen 2, Nimz, Morrison, Houser, Cannon.
