MORGANTOWN – When it comes to success in sports, confidence can be a huge difference maker. For UHS boys soccer head coach Michael Smith and his team, their confidence is peaking at the perfect time after defeating Preston High 9-0 in the opening round of Region 1 Section 1 tournament play.
The Knights (5-15) are much-improved from a winless-season a year ago, and to begin the game seemed to be up to the challenge of keeping the game close.
Until a UHS corner five minutes into the game was sent into the box and found the back of the net to open the scoring. Hawk winger, Ratchanon Homklin curled a left-footed cross toward the goal and it seemed PHS keeper Devan Aaron was set to catch the ball, but it slipped through his hands and rolled into the back of the net.
Ten minutes would then be played without a goal, but as the Hawks began to grow into the game and become more comfortable with the PHS defense the pressure grew.
Two quick goals would be score within 60 seconds of each other. Homklin played a through ball that was perfectly timed for defender Brady Grubb to run with in-stride. He calmly tucked the ball away to double the Hawks lead. The next would come from Davion Huckaby after a shot clanged the crossbar and the ball fell to his feet. The freshman gave his team a 3-0 lead on the rebound with 25 minutes still to play in the half.
Three more goals would be added before the half for UHS giving us a 6-0 halftime score.
“Our goal all season has been to play our best soccer toward the end, and I think we are doing that,” Smith said after the game. “I thought we did the things needed to do today and the good news is that we are focusing on the task at hand and doing what we are supposed to be doing and if we continue that we’ll be in a pretty decent position going forward.”
That “decent” position is important for UHS to maintain game-by-game as we enter the point of the season where every opponent becomes more difficult and a loss means the end of the season. The confidence the team plays with is going to be a huge factor for Smith and his players.
“It’s 100% mental for us,” Smith said about being able to maintain form during the postseason. “That was our Achilles heel last year was not coming together mentally, but right now I have to give all the players all the credit. Whether it’s practice or a game, they’ve come in with a right attitude. Because of that, we have improved our game and are trending in the right direction.”
One thing is for sure, Coach Smith and his team know that nothing will be given to them and that earning wins will be done by how they perform, rather than how their opponents perform. For the Hawks, it’s about them winning the game by how they perform, rather than how their opponents perform. Playing to win, instead of playing not to lose, is the mentality UHS will have going forward.
“Once you get further into the playoffs, it’s easier to dissect opponents,” Smith said. “But right now it’s all about us and how we are playing.”
UHS will advance to the sectional championship on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at home against Buckhannon-Upshur, who defeated Bridgeport in penalty kicks in the opening round. UHS and Buckhannon previously played to a draw earlier in the year.
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