Packers power past Rockets with second half surge
Published 9:34 pm Thursday, August 31, 2017
- Austin’s Sam Bailey reaches out to try and bring in the ball against Rochester Johnson Marshall this season. Herald File Photo
The Austin boys soccer team is starting to establish a consistent scoring threat up front as it beat Rochester John Marshall (0-3 overall, 0-1 Big Nine) 5-1 in Art Has Stadium Thursday.
Senior Lonyjera Okal finished the night with a hat trick and junior Mooday Wah scored two goals and had two assists in the win.
Austin’s Kee Reh winds up for a shot in the first half against Rochester John Marshall at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“I’m getting into the game and I’ve been learning some more moves,” said Okal, who now has four goals on the season. “Tonight was a lot of fun.”
Austin head coach Jens Levisen said he likes the confidence that Okal and Wah, who also has four goals on the season, have shown.
“It’s great to see both of them stepping up and knowing they have the confidence and it’s not a greedy confidence,” Levisen said. “They’re just as willing to make a pass to a teammate, but it they’re in that box, they’re going to try and hit it.”
Austin’s Mooday Wah fends off Rochester John Marshall’s Charles Hickman as be pushes to the goal during the first half Thursday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Packers (2-0 overall, 1-0 Big Nine) took over the game early in the second half when they scored three goals in a span of four minutes to go up 4-0. Okal score two of the goals and Sam Bailey hit Was for a header on the other. Bailey has played the role of distributor for Austin early on this season and he’s had plenty of chances to set up Austin’s playmakers.
“My defenders are always getting open, Kevin [Ortiz] is a great soccer player and he’s getting open, and the forwards are always making moves,” Bailey said. “We’ve got lots of options and that helps me out a lot.”
Austin took a 1-0 lead when Okal scored in the first minute of the game and the Packers had plenty of shots in the first half, but they only scored one goal in that forty-minute stretch. Levisen said his team got a little caught up with some of distractions on the field.
Austin’s Caleb Simerson leaps past John Marshall goalie Christian Schiefert during the first half Thursday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“It was an emphasis on keeping the focus on not letting other things on the field mentally take them out of it,” Levisen said. “For a little bit they started to worry about retaliation. We had a couple of guys get hit. But I said if you’re thinking of that guy and what you’re going to do when he gets the ball, then you’re not thinking about what we’re going to do when we get the ball.”
Josh Brehmer had five saves in the win and Austin had 24 shots on goal.
Austin’s Sterling Schultz tangles with Rochester John Marshall’s Hassan Nuh during the first half Thursday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
