mailto:jmisunas@gbtribune.com
NICKERSON – By the time, Great Bend’s soccer stars Makenna Tinkler and Arely Reyes got rolling, the Panther girls had dug a 3-0 deficit against Nickerson’s Panthers.
Tinkler’s goal (80:23) prevented a shutout as Nickerson won the Battle of the Panthers 3-1 in Thursday’s showdown between winless soccer teams. The game was played in 54-degree weather with a 25 mph southeast wind crossing the east/west field.
Great Bend (0-9) dominated the final 20 minutes with constant offensive pressure and quality passing.
Back-up Nickerson goalie Ayla Ontjes soared high to stop a quality shot by Reyes. Yulisa Valdez ignited Great Bend’s final surge with a missed shot just wide off a restart after a yellow card. Casandra Enriguez and Tinkler missed shots on an open goal against goalie Ayla Ontjes.
Nickerson (1-6) counter attacked effectively to build a 3-0 lead. The athletic and quick Kieryn Ontjes scored her first goal (25:52) and tacked on a second goal (31:12) for a 2-0 lead.
Great Bend outshot Nickerson and controlled offensive play for the most part. Reyes had eight quality shots followed by five apiece by Valdez and Tinkler.
Nickerson coach Aaron Howe employed an effective defensive game plan. Nickerson defender Alexis Allen shadowed Great Bend’s best threat Valdez from start-to-finish. Nickerson defender Tenley Kaufman had a much tougher challenge trying to slow down Reyes, who had several quality attempts.
Nickerson starting goalie Josie McLean preserved a 2-0 lead with effective goalkeeping. She stopped Reyes on a one-on-one scoring opportunity at the 37:30 mark. McLean was forced to play goalie when starting goalie Payten Dodson was sidelined with an injury.
Ayla Ontjes and McLean switched spots with 20 minutes left, leaving the athletic McLean to roam the midfield.
Kieryn Ontjes fed a perfect pass to McLean (73:57) who scored for a 3-0 lead.
WAC GIRLS SOCCER
Hays High 6-0 9-2
Dodge City 3-2 6-5
Garden City 3-3 7-5
Liberal 3-3 5-5
Great Bend 0-7 0-10
TUESDAY—Garden City 8, Great Bend 0; Dodge City 8, Nickerson 0
THURSDAY—*Hays 6, Liberal 2; Nickerson 3, Great Bend 1; Dodge City 2, Hays-TMP 1
MONDAY—*Hays 7, Great Bend 0; Dodge City 1, Garden City 0
HAYS HIGH (6-0, 9-2)—L Maize South 0-1; L Topeka High 5-6; W Newton 2-0; W *Dodge City 2-0; W *Liberal 3-2; W Junction City 3-0; W * Great Bend 9-0; W Wichita Trinity 3-2; W *Garden City 2-1; 4-20 Wichita Independent, ppd.; W * Liberal 6-2; W *Great Bend 7-0; 4-29 at Hays-TMP; 5-3 *at Garden City; 5-6 * Dodge City; 5-7 at Nickerson
DODGE CITY (3-2, 6-5)—W *Liberal 2-0; L Wichita KMC 0-5; L Wichita East 3-4; W Wichita Heights 1-0; L *Hays High 0-2; L Hays-TMP 1-2; W *Great Bend 5-0; L *Garden City 2-3; W Nickerson 8-0; W Hays TMP 2-1; W *Garden City 1-0; 4-29 *Great Bend; 5-6 *at Hays High; 5-11 at Junction City; 5-13 *Liberal
GARDEN CITY (3-3, 7-5)—L *Liberal 1-2; W Goddard 4-1; L Buhler 0-1; L Andover 1-6; W Guymon, Okla. 5-0; W *Great Bend 5-0; W Hays-TMP 4-1; W *Dodge City 3-2; L *Hays High 1-2; W *Great Bend 9-1; W Great Bend 8-0; L *Dodge City 0-1; 5-3 *Hays High; 5-6 Hays-TMP; 5-11 *at Liberal
LIBERAL (3-3, 5-5)—L *Dodge City 0-2; W *Garden City 2-1; L Wichita Carroll 0-8; W Wichita Heights 2-1; L Wichita East 3-4; W *Great Bend 6-0; L *Hays High 2-3; W Guymon, Okla. 4-0; W *Great Bend 9-1; L *Hays High 2-6; 5-1 Wichita Classical; 5-13 *at Dodge City; 4-8 *Hays High; 5-11 *Garden City; 5-13 *at Dodge City
GREAT BEND (0-7, 0-10) L Wichita Heights 3-7; L Hays-TMP 0-2; L *Liberal 0-6; L *Garden City 0-5; L *Dodge City 0-5; L *Hays High 0-9; L *Liberal 1-9; L *Garden City 0-8; L Nickerson 1-3; L *Hays High 0-7; 4-29 *at Dodge City; 5-3 Hays-TMP; 5-4 at Wichita Southeast; 5-10 Manhattan; 5-11 Wichita South; 5-13 Junction City
