BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
When a rocket shot by Alex Galindo bounced off the goalpost, the Hays Indians took advantage of their good fortune. Galindo's hard shot with a clear net prevented the Panthers from gaining a quick 2-0 edge 13 minutes into Tuesday's Western Athletic Conference showdown at Cavanaugh Field.
The Indians salvaged a 1-1 tie just minutes before lightning and thunderstorms would've stopped the 21/2-hour marathon. Lengthy delays occurred when Panther standouts Juan Sanchez (52:00) and Mario Arias (overtime) were sidelined with game-ending ailments.
The Panther/Indian showdown was high spirited to verify the intensity of the WAC rivalry. Each team was granted a yellow card, and the two Panthers departed with game-ending injuries.
The Panthers' Jonathan Pasos scored an opening goal off a nifty centering pass by Mario Arias (8:44). The Panthers dominated the opening 14 minutes. Galindo missed several opportunities and Carlos Soto barely missed a quality attempt.
Hays dominated the final 26 minutes of the opening half as standout Diego Muller gave the Panthers trouble with his ball skills and strength on the ball. The Indians' brother tandem tied the score when Diego Muller scored off a nice pass from his brother Edwin Muller (28:35).
Time-after-time, Diego Muller was prevented from scoring by goalie Edwin Chavez and his defensive teammates Brian Cervantes, Jaden Hartshorn, Juan Sanchez, Gustavo Alvarado and Carlos Batres.
The second half played out the same way. Juan Sanchez had several quality chances and Galindo had a nice chance that Hays goalie Canon Meder turned back.
Again, the Indians controlled the pace in the final 12 minutes. Cervantes and Batres rode to the rescue by blocking quality shots by Diego Muller. Trayton Loa missed wide on another quality chance.
The pair of 10-minute extra periods saw Roa place two quality corner kicks into scoring territory. Chavez' game-saving save came against Roa after a crisp pass to Diego Muller with 3:40 left in overtime.
The Panthers (3-1-1, 1-0-1) missed a chance to sweep two opening WAC games with a victory over Hays (1-3-1, 0-1-1). The Panthers journey to Maize South Thursday.
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Great Bend 1-0-1 3-1-1
Garden City 1-0 4-1
Dodge City 1-0 5-0
Hays High 0-1-1 1-3-1
Liberal 0-2 1-4
TUESDAY—*Hays High 1, Great Bend 1; Garden City 10, Hays-TMP 0; *Dodge City 3, Liberal 0
THURSDAY—Great Bend at Maize South; *Dodge City at Hays
SATURDAY—Wichita Trinity at Great Bend
DODGE CITY (1-0, 5-0)—W Wichita Carroll 3-1; W Newton 4-1; W Wichita Heights 6-0; W Wichita North 3-0; W *Liberal 3-0; 9-16—*at Hays; 9-21—*Garden City; 9-23—*at Great Bend; 9-28—at Wichita Trinity; 9-30—*at Garden City; 10-5—*Hays; 10-9—vs. Blue Valley Southwest; 10-12—*Great Bend; 10-15—SM South; 10-16—Lawrence Free State; 10-21—*at Liberal
GARDEN CITY (1-0, 4-1)—W *Hays 2-0; W Buhler 1-0, OT; L Goddard 4-5; W Rose Hill 3-0; W Hays TMP 10-0; 9-21—*at Dodge City; 9-23—*at Hays High; 9-28—*Great Bend; 9-30—*Dodge City; 10-4—Wichita Heights; 10-5—*at Liberal; 10-7—*at Great Bend; 10-11—at Wichita North; 10-12—WIchita East; 10-16—*Liberal
GREAT BEND (1-0-1, 3-1-1)—W *Liberal 2-1; W Emporia 3-2; L Derby 1-3; W Wichita Northwest; TIE *Hays 1-1; 9-16—at Maize South; 9-18—Wichita Trinity; 9-21—*at Hays; 9-23—*Dodge City; 9-28—*Garden City; 10-5—at Hays TMP; 10-7—*at Garden City; 10-11—at Junction City; 10-12—*at Dodge City; 10-18—*Liberal; 10-21—McPherson
HAYS HIGH (0-1-1, 1-3-1)—*L Garden City 0-2; W Wichita Northwest 1-2; W Hutchinson 2-1; L Emporia 1-3; TIE *Great Bend 1-1; 9-16—*Dodge City; 9-21—*Great Bend; 9-23—*Garden City; 9-28—at Junction City; 9-30—*Liberal; 10-5—*at Dodge City; 10-7—*at Liberal; 10-14—at Wichita Carroll; 10-16—at Wichita Classical; 10-21—vs. Hays-TMP
LIBERAL (0-2, 1-4)—L—*L Great Bend 1-2; L Wichita East 0-4; W Maize 4-0; L Manhattan 1-6; L *Dodge City 0-3; 9-23—Lamar, Colo.; 9-28—Hays TMP; 9-30—*at Hays; 10-5—*Garden City; 10-7—*Hays; 10-11/15—at Wichita North Tournament; 10-16—*at Garden City; 10-18—*at Great Bend; 10-21—*Dodge City
