Parkview will host Joplin today on JFK. The Varsity will play first at 5:30pm followed by the JV.

Parkview went north to Waynesville and the threatening weather cut short an excellent JV match. Waynesville came out and scored a good goal in the 8th minute to take a 1-0 lead. In the 28th minute the referee awarded a penalty kick when Vance Marlow (junior), Michael Duff (sophomore), and #22 from Waynesville got tangled up at the top of the box. #22 stepped up to take the PK and Rudy Fotsch (junior) made a spectacular save to his right, diving full extension and getting both hands on the ball. That energized the team, and in the 33rd minute, Sam Vigil (sophomore) played a ball into the box to Tanner Bennett (freshman) who touched it off a defender, reclaimed the ball, and slotted it far post past the keeper for a 1-1 game. This team is playing extremely well since the Kickapoo match, moving the ball well and talking to each other on the pitch. The game was called at half time due to the incoming weather and the hope that the varsity game could be played.

The varsity game started well, with Parkview moving the ball and getting chances. In the 20th minute Tim Griffin (junior) sent a bouncing ball into the box. The unsuspecting keeper didn’t see an onrushing Matt Beckett (senior). The ball touched the keeper’s hands and Matt headed it into the goal – he was able to do it without much contact, the keeper didn’t fall or complain, and the goal put the Vikings up 1-0. In the 34th minute nature decided we weren’t going to get this one in. Lightning and rain came down in buckets the size of Mack trucks, and fans and players alike ran for cover. My shoes are still wet this morning. The game will be rescheduled and will be a start where it finished, with 6 minutes left in the first half the score 1-0 Parkview.

Coming off a successful weekend, the boys travel to Waynesville today. Waynesville is 5-4 on the season, just one vote behind the Vikings in the Class 3 Southwest Regional Poll that came out on Monday. The JV plays at 4:30pm followed by the varsity.

Wednesday we host the Joplin Eagles, picked fourth in the Class 3 Southwest Regional Poll this week with a 9-2 record. The game will be at JFK with the JV at 5:00pm and the varsity to follow. This is an intense rivalry, and we hope to get the win on our own pitch after losing to them last year in Joplin at the end of the season.

On Friday the Nixa Eagles come calling with the Varsity playing first at 4:00pm followed by the JV. It’s homecoming night but we still expect a crowd of savage Vikings supporters!

Parkview came out and played a very good Cape Central team (who lost to Glendale 1-0 on Friday) on Saturday morning. Cape started the scoring on an awarded penalty kick, 1-0. Parkview stormed back early in the second half to tie the game on an unassisted goal by Jared Moore (sophomore). He took a free throw, dribbled through three defenders and slotted the ball near post. Later in the second half Matt Medley (junior) settled a ball and found Jared Moore (sophomore) at the top of the box and Jared took one touch and finished for his second of the game. Parkview held on for the 2-1 victory.

In the late game Parkview played Poplar Bluff and mercy-ruled them 10-0.

Due to some late arrivals the JV team was unable to go with their usual starting lineup against Cape Central, and a misclear by the PHS defense resulted in a very early goal by Cape. That one goal would prove to be the difference-maker as the PHS JV would muster multiple breakaways with aggressive 1 on 1 play by the forwards and solid defense the rest of the game, however they could not finish any of their opportunities, resulting in a frustrating 1-0 loss.

In the second JV game, against Poplar Bluff, the first half looked much like the Cape game, with the PHS JV dominating play 60-40 but unable to finish. Luckily for the Vikings solid defensive play kept them in it for a 0-0 half time score. In the second half the boys made the proper adjustments implemented by JV coach Trevor Dancer, shooting from much farther out, early and often. This change of tactic netted the Vikings their second goal of the season, and the first by Blake White on a beautiful shot from 25 yards out on the left wing, assisted by Sam Vigil. This goal was followed by a nice 50-50 win and early hit into the lower corner of the net just minutes later by Blaze Keith, the outside mid on the other side of the field.

Both the Varsity and JV will be looking to build on this weekend’s successes and continue improving their finishing in order to pick up more wins this week, with games coming up against Waynesville (away on Tuesday), Joplin (home on wednesday), and Nixa (home on friday).

Thanks to Joseph Florez for the second half of this article!

Get out to the fields tomorrow and support your Vikings! Cape Central and Poplar Bluff are coming to town for a twin bill on JFK. The Cape Central game is a 9am, JV first followed by Varsity. The Poplar Bluff game starts at 2:00pm, again JV first then Varsity. Good luck boys!

The Parkview varsity took the field against a good Kickapoo squad on a beautiful day and lost 6-1. Kickapoo’s first goal came in the 8th minute when a scrum in the box ended up with a ball in the back of the net – we think it was Kyler Temple’s goal. The teams played evenly for the next twenty minutes, and then in the 31st minute Zach Hay scored off a corner kick to make it 2-0 and it remained that way at the end of the half. In the second half Ian Kennedy played a nice through ball to Heath Melugin who cut the ball at the top of the box and deposited it for a 3-0 Kickapoo lead. Zach Hay played a long ball from the back to a racing Ian Kennedy on the wing and Ian finished far post for a 4-0 lead. Parkview responded immediately, scoring in the next minute (53rd) when Derek Rosbrugh (senior) through a ball in down the line into the box for Darren Shaw (junior). Darren calmly beat a defender with speed and crossed the ball diagonally back from the touch line into the path of Dane Knapp (sophomore), who finished in the upper netting from about 8 out – cutting the lead to 4-1. Kickapoo responded six minutes later when Skyler Russell found Heath Melugin for his second of the night. Matt Beckett (senior) had a beautiful slide tackle in the box, taking the ball off Skyler Russell’s feet and saving a goal in the 61st minute. On a corner kick a few minutes later Matt Beckett (senior) cleared the ball off the line. The scoring finished out when Heath Melugin was taken off his feet in the box and finished a PK in the side neeting for the final goal, 6-1. Parkview had 5 shots on goal to Kickapoo’s 13, and Jonathan Malter (sophomore) had seven saves in the match. Parkview fell to 4-4 on the season.

The JV team lost 1-0 in a hard-fought battle. It’s fair to say that against one of their toughest opponents of the season the JV played their best game thus far. The score was 0-0 at half thanks to great play by the entire defensive squad, anchored by Michael Duff. Ben Haldiman was clean and aggressive in goal, and it’s fair to say that Kickapoo out-possesed Parkview 60-40, while Parkview still had a few legitimate scoring chances. The JV team will look to build on this solid game and continue to play and at maximum intensity, and if they can look to see them picking up a good chunk of wins throughout the season. (by Joseph Florez)

Today the Chiefs, ranked 15th in the state poll last week, come to Parkview. Parkview is riding a three game win streak, knocking off two signficant oponents in Carthage and West Plains. It’s going to be intense! Come out and wear your green! Varsity starts at 4:00pm with the JV to follow.