Boys soccer: Packers cruise in tournament opener
Published 9:45 pm Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Austin’s Roel Torres moves the ball forward in the first half of the Packers’ playoff game against Cannon Falls Tuesday night. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The No. 2 seeded Austin boys soccer team opened the Section 1A tournament in commanding fashion as it blanked No. 15 Cannon Falls (1-10 overall) 8-0 in Art Hass Stadium Tuesday.
Austin’s Alex Evenson tangles with Cannon Falls’ Michael Monson in the first half of their playoff game Tuesday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Packers (7-8-2 overall) stormed out of the gates as Levi Vierkandt, who had a hat trick in the first half, scored two goals in the first three minutes of the game and Roel Torres scored two straight goals to make it 4-0 with 8:46 left in the half.
“We worked on our passing back and forth and then we just took our shots,” Vierkandt said. “A shot on goal is a good shot and that’s what we wanted.”
Austin opened the second half strong as Shane Johannsen scored his first career goal 23 seconds into the half and Ochan Ochogi and Irving Morales each scored goals.
The Packers shelled out 26 shots on goal and Austin keeper Chris Kirchgatter had four saves to get his second straight shutout. Senior keeper Gach Gach has missed the last two contests with an injury and it’s not certain wether he will play Thursday, when the Packers will host No. 7 Red Wing (6-10 overall) at 7 p.m.
“I think that it’s probably going to be a game-time decision,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said. “I didn’t have a need for him just to stand out in the cold tonight and Chris had a great game against Kasson. I’m confident in Chris back there. I’d like to see Gach back, but Chris has had some big saves and he’s shown that he’s very capable in the net.”
Levisen liked the way his team played unselfish soccer on Tuesday and he was glad the Packers opened strong in a must-win game.
Austin’s Noah Brehmer holds off Cannon Falls’ Michael Monson during the first half of their playoff game Tuesday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com.
“We wanted to show that we can create opportunities and it’s not just one guy dribbling,” he said. “It’s working the passes and playing like a team to create the opening.”
The Packers beat Red Wing 6-2 Sept. 18.
Austin will have home field advantage when it plays the Wingers again on Thursday and it will also host a playoff game on Saturday if the Packers can get past the Wingers.
Vierkandt said the team is confident at home, but not overconfident.
“It definitely gives us an advantage, but we can’t think that we’re going to win just because we’re at home,” he said. “We’ve lost on this field before and we’ve got to come out hard every game.”
