By NICHOLAS GAINEY
Special to TopSports.news
Using a strong passing attack and a couple of well-placed free kicks, the Topeka West boys soccer team rolled past Goddard 7-0 in the first round of the KSHSAA soccer regionals on Monday night at Hummer Sports Park.
Junior Giancarlo Valenzuela (10) scored a pair of goals in Monday's 7-0 Topeka West Class 5A regional win over Goddard. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Valentin Del Real (3) scored two goals and had an assist in Monday's Topeka West 7-0 win over Goddard in a Class 5A regional opener. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The host Chargers (13-3-1) dominated possession early, but were unable to break the Lion (7-10-0) defense.
Topeka West produced its first serious chance in the 14th minute, with an open shot from freshman Valentin Del Real that forced Goddard goalkeeper Matthew Macy to make an impressive diving save.
About 30 seconds later, the Chargers would break the scoreless deadlock after a pass from D’Ante Smith Dilone’ found Giancarlo Valenzuela for the opening goal of the contest.
After taking the early lead, the goals came quickly for Topeka West.
After his earlier near-miss, Del Real drove through the Lion defense and finished with a goal, giving the Chargers a 2-0 lead in the 24th minute.
A few minutes later, Makaly Martinez was fouled on the left wing, giving Topeka West a free kick in a dangerous position. Martinez took the kick himself, putting the ball out of the reach of Macy in the top right corner to extend the Charger lead to 3-0.
Topeka West would add another goal just before halftime, after Diego Gonzalez-Talavera’s pass found Del Real in the 38th minute for the freshman’s second goal of the opening frame.
The Chargers started the second half quickly, with Gonzalez-Talavera joining the scoring frenzy with an unassisted goal just 30 seconds into the half.
Despite being down 5-0, Goddard continued to play hard, occasionally putting pressure on the Topeka West defense.
In the 44th minute, Goddard’s Kyler Mashaney found himself past the Charger back line, drawing goalkeeper Gage Kindred-Noragon out from the goal. Kindred-Noragon attempted to clear the ball, but it found the feet of Dylan Loerke, whose shot attempt at the wide-open net went wide right.
After the defensive scare, the Charger offense went back to work, with junior Morris Blick extending the lead to 6-0 in the 53rd minute after Del Real threaded a pass through the center of the Goddard defense.
In the 68th minute, Topeka West once again showed off its ability to produce chances from free kicks, with Valenzuela bending a shot into the top left corner of the goal for the Chargers’ final tally.
Topeka West took 30 shots in the contest, with 19 being on goal. Gonzalez-Talavera led the Charger attack with six attempts, while Del Real, Valenzuela, and Smith Dilone’ added five shots each.
Senior Eric Conejo made one save in relief action in net.
Goddard recorded seven shots in the game, with one on target.
Loerke and Lawson Davis led the Lions with two attempts each. Macy made 12 saves in goal for the evening.
Despite having a rough ending to the regular season, picking up a loss and draw in its final two games, Topeka West coach Josh Kutter was pleased with the way his team bounced back.
“We don’t have to worry about it,” Kutter said when asked about the end of the regular season. “Don’t worry about the past and don’t worry about what comes next. Don’t worry about any of the distractions that come with postseason. We have a game today, focus on that.”
With the victory, Topeka West moves on to face Hays in the regional championship. The 11th-seeded Indians, who upset sixth-seeded Bishop Carroll on Monday night, have already defeated the Chargers this season, earning a 2-0 win on Sep. 10.
“It’s going to be a good soccer game,” Kutter said. “As long as we keep doing what we’re doing, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing against, we’re ready.”
Topeka West will host the regional championship against Hays on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Hummer Sports Park.
TOPEKA WEST 7,GODDARD 0
Goddard (7-10-0) 0 0 – 0
Topeka West (13-3-1) 4 3 – 7
Topeka West -- Goals: Valenzuela 2, Del Real 2, Martinez, Gonzalez-Talavera, Blick. Assists: Smith Dilone’, Gonzalez-Talavera, Del Real.
