BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
A spectacular play by Juan Sanchez rescued the Great Bend soccer team. Sanchez chipped in a free kick by teammate Gustavo Alvarado with 1:31 left for a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Liberal Monday.
Sanchez was fouled by a Liberal player, who was given a yellow card for the aggressive foul from 40 yards out. Alvarado lofted an accurate kick that Sanchez deflected past goalie Sam Hernandez.
"It was a well defended game. Liberal eliminated our space and made it difficult. Luckily, we held it together and built an attack to find that late goal. We played a full game and worked together. It's been a while since we did that. This is one we needed playing at home. It's good to get a win to build momentum heading to Thursday."
The Western Athletic Conference victory boosted Great Bend (5-9-1, 2-5-1) into third place. The Panthers are seeded 11th and would play at Valley Center (9-5-1) in next week's 5A soccer regional if seedings remain the same.
The Panthers play McPherson at home Thursday.
"We feel good because of the quality teams we've played," Loera said. "We've played Dodge City, the strongest team we've played. We'll be confident regardless of who we play."
Alex Galindo, Sanchez, Jonathan Pasos and Alvarado had quality shots against Liberal’s goalie Hernandez.
Panther goalie Edwin Chavez earned his second shutout keyed by defenders Brian Cervantes, Jaden Hartshorn, Sanchez, Salvador Garcia, Gustavo Alvarado and Carlos Batres. Chavez saved a quality shot by Liberal’s Felix Nam Nguyen for the Redskins’ best chance. Another shot hit the post and Nguyen’s close shot was deflected.
WESTERN ATHLETIC
Dodge City 7-0 14-0-1
Garden City 6-2 11-4
Great Bend 2-5-1 5-9-1
Liberal 2-6 5-10
Hays High 1-6-1 4-10-1
DODGE CITY (7-0, 14-0-1)—W Wichita Carroll 3-1; W Newton 4-1; W Wichita Heights 6-0; W Wichita North 3-0; W *Liberal 3-0; W *Hays 6-0; W *Garden City 1-0, OT; W *Great Bend 6-0; W Wichita Trinity 2-0; W *Garden City 3-0; W *Hays 7-2; TIE Blue Valley SW 0-0; W *Great Bend 10-0; 10-W SM South 4-0; W Lawrence Free State 4-0; 10-21—*at Liberal
GARDEN CITY (6-2, 11-4)—W *Hays 2-0; W Buhler 1-0, OT; L Goddard 4-5; W Rose Hill 3-0; W Hays TMP 10-0; W *Liberal 3-2; L *Dodge City 0-1, OT; W *Hays High 5-0; W *Great Bend 2-1; L *Dodge City 0-3; W Wichita Heights 3-1; W *Liberal 3-0; W *Great Bend 4-1; L Wichita North 0-5; W Wichita East 5-4 OT; 10-16—Liberal
GREAT BEND (2-5-1, 5-9-1)—W *Liberal 2-1; W Emporia 3-2; L Derby 1-3; W Wichita Northwest 2-1; TIE *Hays 1-1; L Maize South 1-4; L Wichita Trinity 1-5; L * Hays 1-2; L *Dodge City 0-6; L *Garden City 1-2; W Hays TMP 8-0; L *Garden City 1-4; L Junction City 1-4; L *Dodge City 0-10; W *Liberal 1-0; 10-21—McPherson
LIBERAL (2-6, 5-10)—L—*L Great Bend 1-2; L Wichita East 0-4; W Maize 4-0; L Manhattan 1-6; L *Dodge City 0-3; L *Garden City 2-3; W Lamar, Colo. 5-1; W Hays TMP 12-0; W *Hays 2-0; L *Garden City 0-3; W *Hays 2-1; Wichita East 0-2; L Wichita North; L Garden City; L *Great Bend 0-1; 10-21—*Dodge City
HAYS HIGH (1-6-1, 4-10-1)—*L Garden City 0-2; L Wichita Northwest 1-2; W Hutchinson 2-1; L Emporia 1-3; TIE *Great Bend 1-1; L *Dodge City 0-6; W *Great Bend 2-1; L *Garden City 0-5; W Junction City 5-2; L *Liberal 0-2; L *Dodge City 2-7; L *Liberal 1-2; L Wichita Trinity 0-4; L Wichita Carroll 0-2; W Wichita Classical 1-0; 10-21—vs. Hays-TMP
PROJECTED 5A REGIONALS
1—Goddard Eisenhower 12-1-1 vs. 15—Maize High 3-10-2/18—Topeka West (0-14-1) winner; 8—Andover High 8-7 vs. 9—Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel 7-6-2
4—Emporia 7-4-1 vs. 13 Hays High 4-10-1; 5—Andover Central 9-5-1 vs. 12—Salina South 4-9-2
2—Maize South 12-1-1 vs. 16—Salina Central (1-14)/ 17—Arkansas City (1-14) winner; 7—Goddard 8-6-1 vs. vs. 10—Newton 7-7-1
3—Wichita Carroll 11-4-1 vs. 14—Topeka Seaman 4-11; 6—Valley Center 9-5-1 vs. 11—Great Bend 5-9-1
