Rams down LR Christian on penalty kicks
With one of the state’s premier goalkeepers, Lakeside owns a distinct advantage if a soccer game goes to penalty kicks, one that has shaken up the 5A- Southwest standings.
Richard Burke stopped one attempt in the shootout and Little Rock Christian missed another, leading to a 2- 1 Lakeside victory ( 4- 2 on penalty kicks) Thursday at Austin Field. The visiting Warriors, 7- 2 in conference, fell out of a first- place tie with Central Arkansas Christian.
“He definitely gives us an advantage when it comes down to PKS,” Lakeside coach Craig Moses said. “I didn’t want it to go there. I thought we could’ve held them off with 16 minutes left, but they’re a good team and I knew one goal wasn’t going to win this thing. But when you have someone like Richard there in the goal, it just gives us an advantage. Every time we go into penalty kicks with him in the goal, we feel like we’re going to win.”
Moses secured his first win over Christian as Lakeside coach, the Rams ( 10- 5- 1, 8- 3) winning their secondstraight conference game by penalties.
Burke stuffed Jess Smith’s attempt to begin the shootout, and Hunter Smith pushed the Warriors’ second attempt wide left. Christian got a break when Landon Boyles’ shot crossed the goal line after hitting the crossbar, but it wasn’t enough because seniors Sean Street, Tim Carroll, Scott Cole and Robert Taylor connected for Lakeside.
“We’ve got guys who are confident in kicking that thing in,” Moses said. “We have Sean and Tim and Robert and Scott Cole. They’re confident in themselves and they’re confident they can put the ball in the net.”
A Street- to- Cole connection in the 64th minute produced the game’s first tally, Cole ripping a shot from the front- left edge of the box to the far post. It was Lakeside’s only shot on goal in the second half.
“He’s been hurt this week with a neck injury,” Moses said. “He didn’t practice much at all this week, and ( Wednesday) was, in fact, his first day to practice. He came out and got some touches and told me that it was feeling a lot better. He was really a game- time decision because his neck’s been hurting, and he stepped up and had a big game tonight.”
Christian’s Kyle Hendren scored in the 68th minute, the only blemish to nine saves by Burke and two by the team. That followed a series of penalties against the Warriors with coach Barry Mccaskill receiving a yellow card after arguing with the referee and senior Daniel Williams a yellow card and then a red one for a verbal altercation with the referee. Under the Arkansas Activities Association’s “soft red” stipulation, Christian was allowed to substitute for Williams.
“Cards are a distraction,” Mccaskill said. “Any time that happens, whether it be on the field or if a coach gets a card, it’s a distraction, but these guys regrouped after the goal. We were out of sorts after the cards and their goal showed that. We regrouped, got reor- ganized and equalized.”
Lakeside won despite getting outshot 23- 8.
The Rams celebrate senior night for 15 members Monday against Class 7A Fort Smith Northside. The Lady Rams will honor seven seniors and one exchange student that night.
Girls: LRCA- Lakeside
Junior Markie Schaedig scored a pair of goals within three minutes, leading defending Class 5A girls champion Little Rock Christian to a 2- 1 victory over Lakeside.
Schaedig scored in the 14th and 17th minute for the Lady Warriors, 9- 0 in the league. Lakeside senior Ashley Jennings scored in the 78th minute.
Lakeside ( 10- 6, 5- 4) stayed close because junior goalkeeper Shara Robbins made 14 saves, two on breakaways.