Outlaws soccer reins in Cowboys

The Outlaws boys soccer team kicked off their season firing on all cylinders, and crushed Crook County 8-0 in a well-balanced road win.

Teams had just two weeks to prepare for the abbreviated season, and both were excited to finally be able to compete. Sisters boasts a much different team from a year ago, and several younger, more skilled players contributed in the successful effort.

Sisters set the tone for the match early on and controlled much of the action, but goals came slowly in the first half. The Outlaws had several early chances but couldn’t capitalize. Persistence paid off and the scoring spree started in the 34th minute when sophomore Tate Kaczmarek put the ball into the back of the net.

“Tate has matured as a player,” said Coach Jeff Husmann, “most notably is his work without the ball, hustling back and pressuring the ball.”

At the half, the Outlaws were on top 1-0.

Sisters dominated play in the second half, and never gave the Cowboys a chance to get in the game. Six minutes into the second half, Kaczmarek scored his second goal, and, one minute later, junior Ricky Huffman scored. Huffman is a handful for any defense, as he is relentless, physical, and fast.

Husmann said, “Ricky’s decision making has improved tremendously and his positive attitude is contagious.”

The Outlaws’ three-point lead allowed bench players to get in solid minutes, and sophomore Gus Patton was on point. Patton scored Sisters’ fourth goal in the 60th minute of play, and Husmann was ready with the compliments.

“Gus is such a coachable kid,” said Husmann. “He’s soccer-savvy and makes smart decisions with the ball, so it was great to see him get a goal on the varsity pitch. He embodies the selfless style of play we have been working on this season.”

The scoring spree continued fast and furious. Kaczmarek scored his third goal in the 61st minute for a hat trick, and three minutes later freshman Waylon Kiefer earned his first varsity goal. Hussman said that Kiefer is persistent and hard-working and the smile on his face after he scored was priceless.

In the 75th minute, freshman Vince Christian scored Sisters seventh goal of the contest. Christian is an experienced player and spent most of his time at the right back position. According to Hussman, he’s an impact player and versatile in any position.

Huffman knocked in the final goal in the 78th minute and Sisters walked away with the win.

It’s obvious Sisters had a lot of offense in the game, but the solid defensive effort made it possible. Early in the match junior Noah Pittman suffered a leg injury, and junior AJ Scholl stepped up and found his rhythm on defense.

“AJ is a scrappy and physical defender and it was good to see him settle into the role of center back,” said Hussman.

Hussman noted several other standouts on defense.

“Austin Dean (freshman) made an impression on this game,” the coach said. “He is an athletic and intelligent player who will certainly be part of the effort this year. Nathaniel Alvarez (senior) is the goalkeeper and quite possibly among the best in our division in that position. He will be tested as we get deeper into the season, but I’m confident he is up for the challenge.”

Hussman told The Nugget he was proud of the boys who showed commitment to build team chemistry and support each other, and as the game progressed coaches saw selfless passes and positive encouragement from their players.

Sisters was to play at Sweet Home on Tuesday, March 9. They will host Mountain View on Thursday, March 11.