Hawks’ soccer team tops Falcons again for Olathe tourney title

Mike Ransdell | the Kansas city star

Olathe South’s Alex Pilsi (left) rubbed shoulders with Olathe East’s Taylor Esparza while battling for the ball.

more boys soccer...

• Park Hill gets a draw in state soccer; Pius falls to Kennedy
• St. Pius, Park Hill both fall in state soccer semifinals
• St. Pius X, Park Hill soccer teams in state semifinals today
• Park Hill, St. Pius X advance to state semis in boys soccer
• Park Hill soccer ends 26-year state tourney drought

you might also like...

• East soccer falls to SMNW in regional final
• HIGH SCHOOL: OLATHE AREA SOCCER NOTES
• Olathe East boys soccer team beats Olathe South
• Olathe South wins first boys soccer title since 1994
• Olathe South wins Kansas 6A state soccer championship

Vying for its third consecutive Olathe Soccer Tournament championship, Olathe East also had revenge on its mind Saturday afternoon at the College Boulevard Activity Center.

The Hawks, who lost to Olathe South in the Kansas 6A championship game last November, faced the rival Falcons with another title on the line and stayed perfect this season with a 3-1 win.

“For us seniors, revenge definitely was a factor,” said Kyle Rogge, East’s senior left back. “It’s always in the back of your mind for the guys who played in that game.”

Ahead 2-1 coming out of halftime, a sparkling save by Rogge preserved the Hawks’ slim lead and spurred the tournament hosts to victory.

Rogge turned away a point-blank shot by Falcons freshman Ryan Hill off the line at the goal mouth after senior goalkeeper Dustin Derks sprawled to corral the initial Falcons cross and allowed a rebound 30 seconds into the second half.

“As the ball was coming back, I could tell they were going to get a shot, so I just had to drop off and try to guess where the shot was going,” Rogge said. “I got lucky and he shot it right at me. I lost my balance, but I was able to make contact and get it out of there.”

East reasserted control after Rogge’s heroics.

Max Brewer, a transfer from South, clanged a rocket shot off the crossbar on a restart from the top of the penalty box a few minutes after Rogge’s save, but the lead didn’t hit 3-1 until junior Eric Hymer, who had the assist on the Hawks’ first goal, scored during a scramble in the Falcons’ box 10 minutes into the second half.

South, 3-1, broke on top when senior Trey Bristow gathered in a pass from senior Cameron Hundelt, turned with a couple defenders on his hip and buried a right-footed bullet into the back of the net in the sixth minute.

But East, 3-0, answered 86 seconds later when Hymer lofted a high cross from the end line to the back post, where senior Ben Coyle soared to meet the ball and headed home the equalizer.

Nine minutes later, senior Marc Schwingen booted the Hawks into the lead off a centering feed from senior Taylor Esparza.

The win marked the third consecutive championship for the Hawks with each victory coming against the Falcons.

It was East’s fifth Olathe Soccer tournament title overall. South finished as runner-up for the fifth time.

@ Go to KansasCity.com for a photo gallery from the match.

Comments - leave comment