By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Seaman girls soccer team – led by an assortment of multi-sport athletes – took down a depleted Cair Paravel team 8-0 in a shortened affair at the Bettis Family Sports Complex Tuesday.
After tallying four scores in the first half, the Vikings scored four more in rapid succession following the intermission. With 22:15 remaining in the second half, the mercy rule was invoked, giving Seaman its sixth win of the season.
The Vikings are led by a number of athletes who have experienced great success in other sports. Having placed second in the Class 5A volleyball and basketball tournaments this school year, Seaman knows a thing or two about winning.
Anna Becker (9) and Ryin Miller are part of a large group of multi-sport athletes who are playing a major role for the Seaman soccer team, which shut out Cair Paravel 8-0 Tuesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]tg
Utilizing multi-sport athletes is both a blessing and a curse, Seaman coach Kyle Seevers said.
“They’ve all chosen track, basketball, volleyball, whatever,” said Seevers. “But they still love (soccer) so when they come out here, it’s like every year we wait … as soon as basketball is over, we can have all our players. But they are a lot of fun because they compete at the highest level at everything they do.”
Seevers said he has to be patient with players who have put so much into other sports throughout the school year. By the time they arrive on the soccer field, their skills aren’t sharp, and they are worn down by the intensity of competition.
“Our practice may not always be crisp. But when the whistle blows, they’re going to give it their all,” Seevers said. “I could get upset with it, but then we wouldn’t have some of the best athletes (go out for soccer).”
“It’s kind of preached at our school that we want to have multi-sport athletes and that’s a good thing,” said senior Anna Becker, who is committed to play basketball at Drake University. “We have a lot of athletic girls, and I think at our school we know how to win. So, it helps having that core of a lot of different girls who play different sports.”
Seevers said Seaman banks on significant improvement throughout the course of the soccer season as the players regain their touch and feel for the game. The Vikings advanced to the 5A state quarterfinals last year with many of the same players.
Junior Maya Martin had a pair of assists in Tuesday's 8-0 Seaman soccer win over Cair Paravel. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
“I think we had our ups and downs in the first half, but we are looking for a big second half,” Becker said. “We have three big games this week and we’re looking for three wins.”
The Vikings host Turner and Topeka High on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Senior Stella Appelhanz (3) and the Seaman soccer team improved to 6-4 with Tuesday's 8-0 win over Cair Paravel. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]k
Cair Paravel, which defeated Seaman in an exhibition match prior to the season, was limited Tuesday by injuries, illnesses and other absences. By the end of the contest, the Lions had no available players on their bench.
Seevers said he noticed from his scouting report that many of the Lions’ players he prepared to face were not available at game time.
“I told (Cair Paravel coach Doug Woolery), ‘I feel bad for you,’” Seevers said. “They’re so beat up and they’re not deep to begin with this year. You don’t like beating people when they’re down, but you’ve got to play the game the way it is.”
The Lions fell to 5-5-0 on the year. They will need to get healthy if they hope to return to the 4-1A state tournament, where they placed second last season.
SEAMAN 8, CAIR PARAVEL 0
Seaman (6-4-0) 4 4 — 8
Cair Paravel (5-5-0) 0 0 — 0
Seaman — Goals: Nelson 2, Golightly 2, Appelhanz, Miller, Becker, Shipp. Assists: Martin 2, Miller, Golightly, Wilhelm. Shutout: Mills.
