Hays High Rebel Jose Martinez juggles the ball, keeping the Vista Ridge defender at bay. The Hays boys, who came into their area-round playoff matchup with a 22-1-1 record, fell 2-1 to Vista Ridge on a chilly and windy night at Shelton Stadium. Hays’ only goal came with 27 seconds left, as Christian Varela knocked in a header from close range after taking a pass from Jared Herselman. The Rebels finish the 2011 season as District 27-4A champions and bi-district playoff champs, thanks to a 5-1 win over Manor last Friday night. (Photo by Cyndy Slovak-Barton)
by JASON GORDON
A Rebel team that spent the season playing some of the most dominating soccer Hays High has ever seen had its playoff run come to an end Tuesday night far short of its state tournament goal.
The Hays boys, who came into their area-round matchup with a 22-1-1 record, fell 2-1 to Vista Ridge on a chilly and windy night at Shelton Stadium.
“It’s disappointing because I know we were capable of going further,” Hays captain Jared Herselman said. “Vista Ridge is a good team. I think they will go on and do the things in the playoffs that we should have done.”
What Vista Ridge did Tuesday night is take a risk and choose to go against a wind in the first half that increased in velocity as the game went on due to the cold front that started to blow through as soon as the contest began.
Vista Ridge didn’t sit back, however. Instead it went on the attack and the aggressiveness was soon rewarded as Clay Kirk slipped behind the Hays defense just five minutes into the game and scored to make it 1-0.
“Our goal was to get up early if we could,” Vista Ridge head coach David Hilsenteger said. “If that happened, we knew we could clamp down the middle of the field with our defense and try and make things tough on them.”
The early goal seemed to surprise Hays, especially since it didn’t come from Vista Ridge’s all-everything player Khiry Shelton, who has signed with Oregon State University and is on the U.S. Under-18 National Team.
“The early goal shook us up a bit,” Herselman said. “We expected Khiry to be the only one that had a chance to do anything for them.”
Hays had its chances to score the equalizer, but the Rebels never could get a shot to cross into the net in the first half despite dominating time of possession.
Despite the fact the Rebels had to go into the wind in the second half they still were able to move the ball.
Hays had several shots on goal but every one was stopped by Vista Ridge keeper Roy Torres.
With 16 minutes to play, Parker Thornton crossed a ball to Herselman just in front of the Vista Ridge goal, but his header sailed just wide.
“I just tried to stop every shot I could,” Torres said. “They never stopped attacking.”
Any chance of a Hays comeback was thwarted when Kirk again was in the right place at the right time, heading in a goal off a corner kick for Vista Ridge (14-6-2) with just under 10 minutes to play.
Hays finally got on the board when Christian Varela scored from close range after taking a crossing pass from Herselman with 27 seconds left, but the Rebels never threatened the Vista Ridge goal again.
Hays will return many players from this year’s district champion, and head coach Jason Burnett said he thinks the Rebs will make another run in 2012.
“Absolutely we’ll be back,” Burnett said. “Will we have a chance to better this team’s record? I think we will.”
