Mill Valley 5, THS 1

Justin Nutter

Asher Huseman had Tonganoxie High’s only goal in a 5-1 loss against Mill Valley on Monday. The Chieftains will play two more games this week.

First half scoring

Asher Huseman (THS), 21:34

Bailey Weeks (MV), 14:30

Teddy Gillespie (MV), 12:52

Second half scoring

Dalton Sieperda (MV), 31:56

Cameron Rohr (MV), 27:31

Teddy Gillespie (MV), 17:07

The Tonganoxie High soccer team entered the week with four straight victories, but when Mill Valley paid the Chieftains a visit Monday, their win streak came to an abrupt halt.

THS took a 1-0 lead midway through the first half, but then allowed five unanswered goals in a 5-1 loss to the Class 5A Jaguars.

“The awe factor, I think, played in here a little bit,” coach Brian Kroll said. “We won’t see a better team than that all year. We could be in the state championship game, and it won’t be the level of a Mill Valley.”

Senior captain Garrett Martin nearly got the Chieftains (4-3-1, 2-3 Kaw Valley League) on the board about eight minutes into the game, but his shot attempt just barely cleared the cross bar. Mill Valley dominated possession for the next several minutes, but couldn’t cash in on several scoring chances. Bailey Weeks came up wide right with 26:51 to go, then THS goalkeeper Alex Kroll got a hand on a shot by Adam Grube with 23:20 to go.

Huseman got THS on the board about two minutes later, splitting a pair of defenders and firing a shot down the middle. The ball went off the hands of Jaguar keeper Austin Dyche, but still had enough momentum to carry into the net.

The Chieftain defense held off Mill Valley for the next seven minutes, but the Jaguars pulled even when Weeks scored on a corner kick with 14:30 left in the half. They needed less than two minutes to take the lead after Weeks’ score, as Teddy Gillespie got a shot by Kroll with 12:52 left. Neither team scored again before the break.

“I was kind of disappointed we didn’t get a couple opportunities before they scored,” MVHS coach Arlan Vomhof said. “(Huseman) is a real good player, and he had the shot that our keeper got a finger on. It’s unfortunate, but we told the boys to keep their head up, and they came back and did really well.”

Dalton Sieperda, Cameron Rohr and Gillespie each added Mill Valley goals in the second half. Meanwhile, the Jaguar defense kept the Chieftains from creating any real scoring opportunities. Their best chance came on a free kick by Jay Willcutt with 10:37 left, but Dyche corralled the shot attempt.

THS will try to start a new win streak Thursday when it hosts St. Mary’s Academy. The Chieftains will also travel Friday to Shawnee for a meeting with Maranatha Academy.

“What I take away from this is, how are they going to rebound,” Kroll said. “If they come in completely dejected that it was a 5-1 game, then we’re going to get a 5-1 remainder of the season, to be completely honest. If they can come back and give a good effort, then we’ll be OK.”