BLHS 3, THS 1

Justin Nutter

Garrett Martin had Tonganoxie's only goal in a 3-1 loss Thursday at Basehor-Linwood.

First half scoring

Colten Foster (BLHS), 33:17

Second half scoring

Zach Ferguson (BLHS), 35:52

Garrett Martin (THS), 26:56

David Whaley (BLHS), 9:38

Basehor ? The Tonganoxie High soccer team’s search for its first victory will continue into next week.

Playing without leading scorer Asher Huseman, the Chieftains couldn’t erase an early deficit in a 3-1 loss Thursday at Kaw Valley League rival Basehor-Linwood. THS fell in a 2-0 hole early in the second half and wasn’t able to pull even down the stretch.

“Without him on the field, it is a completely different animal,” coach Brian Kroll said of the team without Huseman, who was required to sit out after getting ejected from Tuesday’s game at Bonner Springs. “We’ve scored four goals on the season and three of them have come from him. You take that away and someone else has to step up.”

The Bobcats (2-1) went in front early in the first half when Colten Foster scored on a corner kick. Foster’s kick went untouched as it skipped into the right side of the net with 33:17 left in the period. Tonganoxie captain Garrett Martin nearly answered Foster’s goal less than two minutes later, but a one-on-one situation against BLHS goalkeeper Trevor Kincheloe went for naught when Kincheloe punched Martin’s shot attempt over the crossbar.

Chieftain goalie Alex Kroll made a pair of saves midway through the half to keep the deficit at one goal, but the Chieftains (0-2-1) couldn’t capitalize on the other side of the field. They came up empty on two attempts in the box with about 10 minutes remaining, and the teams traded possession for the next several minutes.

THS got another chance with about two minutes left when Tyler Novotney beat the defense, but Kincheloe made a sliding stop to thwart another head-to-head scoring attempt.

“MVP of the game,” BLHS coach Erik Jones said of the sophomore keeper. “He had two point-blank breakaways that would have tied it up. He kept us in the game and that’s what he does. He’s our guy back there for sure.”

BLHS captain Zach Ferguson doubled the Bobcats’ advantage on a shot down the middle less than five minutes into the half, and once again, THS immediately got a chance to answer. The Chieftains couldn’t cash in, as a shot by Jay Willcutt sailed high.

Martin got his squad on the board with a long shot attempt a few minutes later, as his kick from about 30 yards out cleared Kincheloe’s outstretched hands to make it 2-1 with 26:56 to go. However, the Bobcats got the goal back on a shot by David Whaley in the final 10 minutes, and the Chieftains failed to score again.

Novotney and Basehor-Linwood’s Trent Kincheloe each received yellow cards as tempers flared in the game’s final minutes.

Both teams will be back in acton Tuesday. THS will try to pick up its first win when it hosts Atchison for its home opener. Meanwhile, the Bobcats will try to improve to 3-1 when they travel to Topeka-Hayden.