The Highs and Lows of high School Soccer

We have worked so hard this year and great things were coming to us. We were 13-0-1 heading into the biggest weekend of the year so far and were finally receiving national recognition. It was a stiff challenge ahead and one we had been waiting for. Just how well would the Blue Devils do at the Gateway City Soccer Classic in Collinsville? In our bracket of 8 teams were 4 teams ranked in the top 50 in the nation. 1 from New York, 2 from Colorado, a 6 time consecutive state champion from Kansas, and a back to back state champion from Missouri. We were going to find out exactly what we were made of.

We opened our bracket with a tough Rockwood Summit team from St. Louis. We played well and got a goal in each half for a 2-0 victory. In the semi-finals, we played against Rockhurst Jesuit from Kansas City. Rockhurst has won back to back Missouri state titles and were a top 25 team in the nation. After an evenly contested first half, Rockhurst came out firing at us. We withstood their best shot and the last 15 minutes of the game we came right after them and just couldn't put one in the back of the net. With the game going to PK's, we were on the horizon of one of our biggest wins in program history. We made 4 PK's and Logan Miller stopped 2 and we picked up that victory. It was the type of victory that we needed to prove to a lot of people, including ourselves, that we really do have a solid team.

In the finals of our bracket stood St. Thomas Aquinas of Overland Park, KS. Aquinas has won 6 consecutive state titles and was ranked #7 in the nation. We played right with them and did a great job on defense against their set pieces, which they are extrememly good at. With 10 minutes remaining, they had a player beat us to the ball at about the 6 yard line and rifle one home,giving them the championship and us our first loss of the season.

Despite losing, I think it set in to our kids that they did belong, but also had work to do. At least I thought it did.

On Tuesday the national rankings came out and we had moved from #47 to #29 and that was great for not only these young men but the program in general. Rankings really mean nothing, but it is nice to have your name included among the nations elite and something QHS has not had happen for a while. As I sit here writing this, I still get irritated at the events that transpired last night.

Last night was the 2nd game of the inter city rivaly with QND. We won the first meeting 2-0 and on paper, should have won this one as well. But lets face it, it is QHS vs QND, and games aren't played on paper. We had beaten QND the last 7 times we had faced them and QND was out to stop that streak. We played very well early in the game but never really mounted any good opportunitites. If we can manage to put in a goal in that first 20 minutes, I think we cruise to an easy victory. However, we didn't and that just gave QND more confidence. At half-time Coach Longo talked about lots of things, but there were two things I said to them that I wanted to get across. First off, I told them that the difference between todays player and the teams myself and the other coaches played on, is that when we were the better team, we didn't let teams hang around. We stepped on their throat and put them out of their misery early. The second thing was, one of these days your going to let a team hang around and they are gonna score on you and your gonna get beat.

Well, 13 minutes into the 2nd half, QND capitalized on a mistake we made and they scored a goal. We were behind for just the 3rd time all year, but this was QND and you know that kids from QND are gonna play hard. We controlled the better part of the play the last 20 minutes, missing 3 or 4 very good goal soring opportunities. The final result, QND 1and QHS 0. Vince Lombardi said it best, "We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time. "

I looked around at our kids after it was over and I saw two different expressions on their face. Some had the look of disbelief as to what just happened and others were doing everything in their power not to let the tears flow. Losing is tough, but it's even tougher when it is to QND. We had to stand on their field and watch them and their fans celebrate at our expense and also listen to some of their fans chant Overrated.

I never would have imagined this team would lose back to back games this season nor that we would be shut out 3 times in a row. But it has happened and all we can do now is move on. Walt Disney said it best I think, "You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."

We now need to focus on Rock Island and getting back on the winning path. We have 3 regular season games left before post-season and we are still one heck of a team. Every team faces adversity along the way, and it is how you respond to it that people will remember. "Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time."

I believe that out of this disappointment will rise a better team. "It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness."