Late in April, you don’t expect that you will need a parka, hat, and gloves, but tonight we did… But the cold didn’t play a factor, it was just part of the strange circumstances surrounding the Varsity game. This year, so far, the Lions have been up and down, beating some of the state’s top competition, while at other times falling to opponents that the team should also beat.
In the Fresh-Soph game, the Lions got two second half goals to earn another win and improve their record to 4-2-1.
In the Varsity game, new goalkeeper Seth Lukefahr (Sophomore) earned a clean sheet, but it took a little longer than expected. In fact Lukefahr was never even called on to make a save, as the Mustangs never attempted a shot for 80+ minutes of play. Even stranger though was how dominant the Lions were. Unofficially, Linn-Mar maintained possession more than 70% of the game, but in the final third, the team struggled. Hempstead did a good job frustrating the Lions, as they often times had nearly their entire team inside the 18-yd box, and blocking shots before they even made it to goal. All in all, the Lions had 49 shots, but it wasn’t until the 87th minute (1st overtime) when Alex Davenport found the lower left corner of the goal, and ended the game in celebration/relief. Man of the Match was Kody Waterman.
Tonight, Linn-Mar will host Dubuque Hempstead (Fresh-Soph, 5:15; Varsity, 7:00). The Lions will try to put another “W” on their resume, after getting sidetracked Tuesday night, at Kennedy. Last year, both teams earned victories over the Mustangs; Fresh-Soph won 5-1, and Varsity earned a 6-3 win. Dress warm and come out and support the Lions, as they enter the second half of the season. Can’t make it? Check back after the game for a full recap of tonight’s contests.