Published: September 24, 2008 11:52 pm         

Panthers prevail over Patriots on PK

There was no doubt in Joe Webb’s mind he was going to make his penalty kick Wednesday night against Independence.

Sure, the pressure was on the PikeView sophomore as he stepped up to the ball, 12 yards away from the goal with the score tied at 1-all.

And yes, Patriots goalkeeper Jacob William’s had played a superb match, with eight saves.

No matter.

“I had confidence,” Webb said after blasting the ball to the right, beating Williams into the back of the net with less than three minutes to play to give the Panthers a 2-1 victory at Paul Cline Stadium.

Webb, who scored PikeView’s other goal when he raced down the middle of the box in the 30th minute, had already hit a couple of PKs this year.

(Williams) looked a little bit nervous,” Webb said. “And I thought I’d make it.”

Webb not only made his presence felt on the scoreboard, but as the Panthers’ attacking midfielder, quarterbacked his team’s offense.

“Last year we tried to play Joe up top (at forward), but he’s the kind of kid who needs the ball at his foot to control play,” coach Sam Hill said. “He’s a very dynamic player.”

PikeView (4-6) dominated the second half, taking five shots on goal to none for the Patriots.

Williams, a junior who had never played soccer until this year, came up big time and again for Independence (2-8).

On several occasions he charged into the path of an attacker, diving at the ball and collecting it to stop what looked like sure goals.

PikeView had won an earlier meeting 7-1.

“Jacob was the big difference today. He kept us in the game,” coach Nik Mower said. “He kept everybody wanting to play harder.”

A former goalkeeper himself, Mower has worked hard with Williams.

“He’s really making me proud, but it’s all on him,” Mower said. “I’ve showed him the technique, but he has to come out and do it. He got his first shutout (Tuesday) against Herbert Hoover.”

“(Williams’) aggressiveness served him well,” Hill said.

Independence also scored on a penalty kick, as Daniel Halsey fired a shot past the Panthers’ Aaron Nash just 35 seconds before halftime.

The second half, however, was all PikeView.

“At halftime I told the team it was about effort. From a skills standpoint, we were a better team, but soccer is a game of effort,” Hill said.

“We put forth the effort in the second half.”

— E-mail:

dstillwell@register-herald.com



PikeView 2, Independence 1

Scoring: PV (Joe Webb, 30th minute; Webb penalty kick, 78th minute); I (Daniel Halsey penalty kick, 40th minute). Shots on goal: PV 10, I 2. Keeper saves: PV 2 (Jacob Williams), I 8 (Aaron Nash). Yellow cards: PV 2, I 0. Records: PV 4-6, I 2-8). Records: PV 4-6, I 2-8.