By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend’s red-hot soccer team will be re-energized after a week layoff against Hays High at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Cavanaugh Field.
The Panthers’ hopes of being a WAC contender will be determined in home games against Hays High and No. 3 Class 6A Dodge City (6-0, 2-0 WAC) this week. The Panthers beat Hays High 6-1 in an earlier meeting at Hays.
Great Bend’s No. 7-ranked Class 5A soccer team (4-2, 1-1 WAC) has already lost a Western Athletic Conference home game.
“We know our league is tough and we have to play our best soccer to compete,” said Great Bend coach Jesus Loera. “It’s nice to pick up momentum by how well we’ve played and get over the hump with wins. We’ll find out this week whether our game is good enough to play the best teams or we’re not quite where we need to be.”
Erick Martinez has led the Panthers with 11 goals. Mauricio Hernandez has scored goals and fed perfect assists for Martinez.
Erick Martinez joins David Franco, Joshua Rodriguez, Mauricio Hernandez and Brian Galindo on the offensive front.
Darien Sanchez is the defensive leader. He joins Junior Franco, Anthony Brown, Rogelio Arias and Alberto Levya and Chiny Sanchez on the defensive side. Goalie Daniel Cervantes owns two shutouts.
“We have guys time off for recovery from so many games,” Loera said. “We took time to build individual skills, such as receiving a pass, passing better and sharpening mental skills. We’ve made good progress.”
Loera said each player needs to play their positon to the best of their ability.
“You stress doing your job and playing your position,” he said. “Things will improve if everyone does their job.”
KPI RANKINGS
CLASS 6A—1. SM East 4-0; 2. Olathe East 6-0; 3. Dodge City 6-0; 4. Olathe NW 4-1-1; 5. Wichita North 4-1; 6. Garden City 5-1; 7. SM Northwest 5-1; 8. Blue Valley NW 3-5; 9. SM West 5-2; 10. BV West 5-2
CLASS 5A—1. Wichita Carroll 5-1; 2. KC Harmon 5-2; 3. Wichita Kapaun 3-2-1; 4. Liberal 3-3; 5. Salina Central 6-1; 6. Blue Valley SW 6-0; 7. Great Bend 4-2; 8. Salina South 4-2; 9. Maize 4-2; 10. Wichita Heights 4-1
CLASS 4-1A—1. SM Miege 6-1; 2. McPherson 5-2; 3. KC Sumner 5-1-2; 4. KC Piper 2-3; 5. De Soto 5-1; 6. Louisburg 4-1; 7. Basehor 7-0; 8. Spring Hill 4-2; 9. KC Christian 4-3; 10. Independence 6-0-1
Western Athletic
Dodge City 3-0 7-0
Liberal 2-1 3-3
Garden City 1-2 5-2
Great Bend 2-1 5-2
Hays High 0-4 3-5
Tuesday’s games
Hays at Great Bend
Garden City at Dodge City
Liberal at Hays-TMP
Thursday’s games
Dodge City at Great Bend
Wichita North at Liberal
Buhler at Hays High
Saturday’s game
Great Bend at Manhattan
DODGE CITY (7-0, 3-0)—Wichita South 9-1; Wichita Northwest 5-1 (Titan Classic); Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 2-1 (Titan Classic); 1st, Wichita Carroll 3-2 (Titan Classic); Liberal 1-0; Hays High 9-0; Garden City 2-0; 9-22, at Great Bend; 9-27, Hutchinson; 9-29, at Garden City; 10-4, Hays High; 10-6, at Hays-Thomas More Prep; 10-11, Great Bend; 10-13, Wichita Heights; 10-18, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel; 10-20, Liberal
LIBERAL (3-3, 2-1)—Great Bend 5-2; Kapaun-Mt. Carmel 1-6 (Titan Classic); Wichita NW 2-1 (Titan Classic); 5th, Wichita North 1-4 (Titan Classic); Dodge City 0-1; Garden City 3-2; (9-22, at Hays-Thomas More Prep) 9-24, Wichita North; 9-29, at Hays High; 10-4, at Garden City; 10-6, at Hays; 10-10, North Cup; 10-13, North Cup; 10-15, North Cup; 10-17, Great Bend; 10-20, at Dodge City
GARDEN CITY (5-2, 1-2)—Hays High 4-0; Campus 2-0 (Goddard Tournament); Goddard Eisenhower 2-1 (Goddard Tournament); Hays-TMP 6-0; Liberal 2-3; 1st, Goddard 4-0 (Goddard Tournament); Dodge City 0-2; 9-27, Great Bend; 9-29, Dodge City; 10-4, Liberal; 10-6, at Great Bend; 10-10, North Cup; 10-12, North Cup; 10-15, North Cup; 10-17, at Hays-Thomas More Prep; 10-18, Hays High
GREAT BEND (5-2, 2-1)—Salina Central 2-3; Liberal 2-5; Hutchinson 1-0, OT (Titan Classic); Wichita East 3-0 (Titan Classic); 9-10, Derby 2-1 (Titan Classic); Hays High 6-1; Hays High 6-5; 9-22, Dodge City; 9-24, at Manhattan; 9-27, at Garden City; 10-4, TMP; 10-6, Garden City; 10-10, Wichi-ta Independent; 10-11, at Dodge City; 10-17, at Liberal; 10-20. at McPher-son
HAYS HIGH (3-5, 0-4)—Garden City 0-4; Wichita Classical 10-0; Derby 2-3 (Titan Classic); Topeka West 6-0 (Titan Classic); Hutchinson 3-2 OT (Titan Classic); Great Bend 1-6; Dodge City 0-9; Great Bend 5-6; 9-22, Buhler; 9-27, at Junction City; 9-29, at Liberal; 10-4, at Dodge City; 10-6, Liberal; 10-8, at Wichita Carroll; 10-18, Garden City; 10-20, Hays-Thomas More Prep
