By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Coming off a tough 2-1 non-league loss at Hayden on Monday, Seaman's struggles continued over the opening 12 minutes-plus of Tuesday's home United Kansas Conference contest against Shawnee Heights, with the Vikings spotting the T-Birds an early 2-0 advantage.
Junior Kaelon Taylor scored just before halftime to put Seaman in front 4-2 on the way to a 6-3 UKC soccer win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman senior Bradley Williamson attempts to control the ball in Tuesday's 6-3 UKC soccer win over Shawnee Heights. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Seaman got things turned around in a hurry, scoring four straight first-half goals on the way to a 6-3 league triumph, improving to 6-3-0 overall and 4-1-0 in the UKC while handing Shawnee Heights its first league defeat.
Viking senior Kaelin Loy, who contributed two goals an an assist said getting right back in action was a good way to bounce back from Monday's disappointing loss.
"It was very disappointing because that's an in-town rival, but I think it was good that we came back right away,'' Loy said. "We were angry and we were hungry for a win and to play Heights right after was really nice.''
Shawnee Heights junior Camden Granado (6) scored a goal in Tuesday's 6-3 UKC loss to Seaman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Shawnee Heights (3-4-0, 3-1-0) needed barely a minute to get on the scoreboard with a goal from junior Jason Slay and the T-Birds made it a 2-0 game at the 27:17 mark of the opening half on a goal from junior Camden Granado.
But that seemed to be the wakeup call that Seaman was looking for, with the Vikings needing just 52 seconds to get on the board with a goal from senior Blake Toyne.
Senior Logan Townsend tied things up at the 14:33 mark and Loy broke the tie with the first of his two goals on the night with 3:34 left in the half before junior Kaelon Taylor ended the first-half scoring onslaught at the 1:42 mark.
Senior Dalton Smith said Tuesday's performance by the Vikings was a big turnaround from Monday at Hayden.
"Something just felt off,'' Smith said of the Hayden loss. "We just weren't connecting well, it wasn't anything great, but it was completely different today. It was way different. The bounce back was crazy, especially after the two goals. It just completely changed. We just had the drive that we wanted to win.''
Shawnee Heights, which had won three straight games, got back in the hunt just 4:46 into the second half on a goal from junior Sheldon Pokphanh and for a brief instant the T-Birds thought they had pulled even at the 31:12 mark after being awarded a penalty kick.
Heights sophomore Mason Haas buried his first PK attempt but the shot was waved off because officials had stopped play prior to the attempt. Seaman freshman goalkeeper Landon Geis came up with the save on the T-Birds' second attempt and just over four minutes later the Vikings got an insurance goal from senior Bradley Williamson before Loy finished things off with 38 seconds remaining.
Seaman senior Lucas Cross (19) advances the ball as Shawnee Heights senior Owen Phillips applies pressure. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior Cody Quy was credited with a pair of assists while junior Rylan Harris also picked up an assist for the Vikings.
Seaman will continue its stretch of four games in four days on Wednesday with a non-league home game against Blue Valley before the Vikings go on the road Thursday for a UKC game at Lansing.
Seaman senior Ethan Geiger said Tuesday's bounce-back win should give the Vikings momentum for the rest of the week.
"With a long week like this you've got to have a short memory,'' Geiger said. "We came out here and showed what this team can do. We really worked hard and put up some numbers on the board and it was a good game.''
Geiger said a key Tuesday was that the Vikings didn't panic after giving up the two early goals.
''You can't panic and none of our guys did,'' Geiger said. "Everybody pulled their socks up, picked their head up and moved on and it showed in that win.''
Shawnee Heights is slated to play a UKC contest next Tuesday at Lansing.
SEAMAN 6, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 3
Shawnee Heights (3-4-0, 3-1-0) 2 1 -- 3
Seaman (6-3-0, 4-1-0) 4 2 -- 6
Shawnee Heights -- Goals: Jason Slay, Camden Granado, Sheldon Pokphanh.
Seaman -- Goals: Kaelin Loy 2, Blake Toyne, Logan Townsend, Kaelon Taylor, Bradley Williamson. Assists: Cody Quy 2, Logan Townsend, Kaelin Loy, Rylan Harris.
