Boys score record number of goals in 9-2 North win
The Missouri Athletic Club's 2008 North-South Senior All-Star game finished with an all-star record 11 goals, but also saw another record broken not as enthusiastically discussed: North's 9-2 drubbing of the South stars was the most lopsided win in the exhibition's 24-year history.
Meanwhile, Soffner watched from the sidelines nursing a broken finger suffered three weeks ago. During a Scott Gallagher club game, the keeper came off his post to defend a cross and snapped his digit on the back of the head of one of his own defenders. That left Lindbergh's Chris Eason, who allowed three goals in the first half, and Lutheran South's D.J. Lampert in front of the Northside firing squad."The North-South split, as far as the MCC is concerned, puts CBC, Chaminade and DeSmet all onto the North squad," said SLUH coach Charlie Martel, who coached the South All-Star team this year. "And on top of that, I had guys on my bench saying that (North's) midfield in the first half and most of the game plays together for Scott Gallagher, so they were all familiar with one another. So there were a lot of goals scored.
"But we were having fun, laughing and having a good time over there. It was no big deal. I got them at halftime and told them just to play a good half the best you can, have fun with it. This was an all-star game, no one was really that disappointed."
Though the South squad harbored three field players from state runner-up SLUH's (26-4-2) roster, as well as defenseman Dan Logush from Vianney (18-9-2), the North team featured six players from MCC champ CBC (23-6-1) and four more from Chaminade (21-4-1). Players from the two squads combined for three goals and three assists on Friday.
"Our two goalies did OK, I have no complaints," Martel said. "The thing was that some of the goals scored were really nice ones. (All-Star game coordinator) Dan Hogan came over a little bit into the second half, and we agreed: We just loved watching these kids play. They're so talented, and just to watch them was a good time."
Indeed, a handful of Friday's tallies featured a few dream plays expected from the area's top talent, partially pulling South's keepers off the hook. Lampert, especially, who patrolled South's box in the second half and was responsible for three North goals in the last eight minutes, could not fully be blamed for the way North's stars easily shredded his defense. Outnumbered more times than not, Lampert actually saved more fastbreak shots than he allowed.
Logush, Oakville's Adam Ford and St. Mary's Kevin Aubuchon shared several moments of fluidity with each other, efficiently working up the sidelines with comfortable give-and-go work. Aubuchon even had a fantastic chance midway through the first half that would have tied the game 1-1: Borgia's Allen Loy came fast on a sprint up the middle, and Aubuchon made a picture-perfect cut in and then upfield. Loy hit him in stride, splitting two defenders and leaving Aubuchon one-on-one with North goalie Nick Collico, but he fired a shot right into the keeper's belly.
Bayless' Kory Dowell was a catalyst in several South scoring chances, including a great cross for a diving header by Loy that was narrowly deflected by a defender, but finally cashed in in the second half. Dowell, with his back to the net, received a pass in the air, turned and fired a karate-kick floater into the box. It hit St. Pius' Jimmy Hangyal on a sprint, who settled and fired a shot in for South's first goal to make it 5-1.
Of course, the North dribbled right down and scored 45 seconds later, but Aubuchon finally got his goal with six minutes left for South's second tally.
