By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Josh Kutter's young Topeka West soccer team, which has 13 underclassmen and four freshmen on its varsity roster, will no doubt face some growing pains at times this fall.
Topeka West freshman Valentin Del Real (3) scored the game-winning goal in Tuesday's 2-1 non-league soccer win over Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Kutter is confident the Chargers have the talent to overcome their youth and West showed evidence of that in Tuesday's 2-1 non-league season-opening road win over city rival Hayden.
"We're young, but very talented,'' Kutter said. "To have this kind of competitive game against a solid team, it really helps us see what we've got to work on but also build that confidence that they're going to need.
"We have quite a few freshmen and sophomores in that lineup that have skill on the ball and they're smart and they play intense, so they're ready to jump right in.''
Freshman midfielder Valentin Del Real scored West's game-winning goal with 4 minutes, 42 seconds remaining, snapping a 1-1 tie, before the Charger defense held the Wildcats out of the goal the rest of the way.
Charger junior midfielder Giancarlo Valenzuela gave Topeka West a 1-0 halftime advantage with a goal at the 13:37 mark of the opening half off an assist from sophomore Diego Gonzalez-Talavera.
Topeka West junior Giancarlo Valenzuela (10) scored the Chargers' first goal in Tuesday's 2-1 non-league soccer win at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Hayden senior Tagen Rodriguez squared the match at 1-1 with 23:57 remaining before Del Real applied the late clincher.
"Opening against Hayden every year, we know it's going to be a fight for lack of better words,'' Kutter said. "It's going to be competitive, it's going to be a close one.''
Hayden will face Centennial League foe Topeka High Thursday at Hummer Sports Park while Topeka West wil return to action next next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in a tournament at Salina.
TOPEKA WEST 2, HAYDEN 1
Topeka West (1-0-0) 1 1 -- 2
Hayden (0-1-0) 0 1 -- 1
Topeka West -- Goals: Giancarlo Valenzuela, Valentin Del Real. Assist: Diego Gonzalez-Talavera.
Hayden -- Goal: Tagen Rodriguez.
