×
×
homepage logo

Tonganoxie High soccer outlasts Piper, falls to Mill Valley

By Mike Lavieri - | Sep 23, 2015

Seconds after the whistle blew signaling a 3-1 victory for the Tonganoxie High soccer team against Piper High, lightning could be seen in the distance.

Had the Chieftains not turned it on early in the second half, the two could have waited to finish the game or find a different day to resume play if it had gone to extra time.

But Tyler Novotney scored twice in the second half to lead Tonganoxie to victory.

His first goal came less than a minute into the second period to tie the game up on a ball played by Logan Williams. Piper had scored less than 10 minutes into the game, when Christian Snell knocked home a cross from the left side.

“Teammates are the ones that help me,” Novotney said. “All the goals I ever score here are because of my teammates.”

THS coach Brian Kroll told his team to not let Snell or Logan Wilson have space because they will find the back of the net.

Kroll said the first Novotney goal was a game changer.

“Guys, you’re owing them possession-wise,” Kroll said to his team at halftime. “Are they better than you? No.”

Novotney’s second goal would have come about 10 minutes later, but he was ruled offsides. That didn’t affect him as he was able to find the back of the next 30 seconds after that.

Novotney said Kroll always preaches composure.

“That’s what I’ve been taught since my freshman year,” Novotney said.

Kroll said the Chieftains have been a slow-starting team all season and doesn’t know why. Novotney said THS kept its composure, and that a 1-0 deficit wasn’t anything as the Chieftains have come back from 2-0 earlier this year.

After the second goal, Kroll was confident the Chieftains would hang on.

“I went to my assistant coach five minutes into the game and said, ‘We’re better than this team,'” Kroll said. “I kind of expected this outcome. After they scored, I was concerned how my boys would react. They reacted fine by not letting them get another one, and then coming out in the second half completely refreshed and ready to go.”

Williams gave the Chieftains some insurance midway through the half as the defense was able to stop a late wave of Pirate chances.

Mill Valley wins in rout

Tonganoxie’s five-match winning streak came to an end Monday in a road trip to Shawnee.

Mill Valley led 2-0 at halftime and then erupted in the second half for a 7-1 victory against the visiting Chieftains.

The Jaguars dropped THS to 7-2 on the season.

THS next will be in action with a home game later this week against St. Mary’s Academy. Junior varsity will start at 4:30 p.m. and varsity about 6 p.m. against SMA, which is located in St. Marys.

The team then will travel Friday to Shawnee to take on Maranatha Christian Academy in a varsity only matchup. The match is set to start at 4:30 p.m.

— Shawn F. Linenberger contributed to this story.