By John McCallum
Editor 

Blackhawks hit the road for soccer win at Clarkston

 

Last updated 4/13/2017 at 5:05pm



Cheney’s boys soccer team snapped a brief, two-game skid with a 4-1 road win last week at Clarkston.

The Blackhawks got first half goals from Graham West and Kelby Holland, with Holland’s in the 29th minute proving to be the eventual game winner in the April 4 match up. Cheney added extra margin with goals in the second half by Noah Prophet and Hunter Plummer.

West, Sam Fix and Noah Schorzman provided assists. Cheney out shot the Bantams 13-4, with goalkeeper Dalton Mauzay making three saves.

Head coach Morgan Hartanov said the Blackhawks played more of their style of game against an improved Clarkston team (2-4 6 points Great Northern League, 2-5 overall), possessing the ball and combining that control with ball movement to create scoring opportunities.

“The boys played well,” Hartanov said. “They just played with a lot more confidence.”

Hartanov went on to say his players are much looser when they play teams such as Clarkston and West Valley (0-3, 0-6); teams they out-man right now and should beat. It should be that way against East Valley and Pullman, teams currently ahead and tied with Cheney in the league standings, he added, but the players tend to tense up against those opponents, perhaps feeling a bit more pressure.

Hartanov said there is also pressure off the pitch from the expectations put on Cheney’s soccer program because of past successes. From 2004-2014, the Blackhawks advanced to state nine times, including a Final Four appearance in 2004 in the 3A classification, and trips to the state 2A title game from 2008–2010, and again from 2012–2013 — winning it all in their last appearance.

The Blackhawks haven’t made the state round since 2014, and while Hartanov appreciates striving towards that kind of success, believes his players need to find a way to break from those expectations and play more for themselves.

“This team can go as far as they want to go,” Hartanov said. “They’re good players. Man to man against East Valley and Pullman, they’re as good if not better.”

Cheney (4-2 11 points, 6-3) continues league action this week. They traveled to West Valley to take on the Eagles Tuesday, and stay on the road for a showdown at league-leading East Valley (4-1 12 points, 6-2) Saturday.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.

Author Bio

John McCallum, Retired editor

John McCallum is an award-winning journalist who retired from Cheney Free Press after more than 20 years. He received 10 Washington Newspaper Publisher Association awards for journalism and photography, including first place awards for Best Investigative, Best News and back-to-back awards in Best Breaking News categories.

 

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