FSHS soccer rolls

Nazareth’s two goals spark 5-0 rout of Lansing

Free State High junior Will Laufer (18) slips the ball past Lansing's Tyler Woodcock during their soccer match Thursday evening at FSHS. The Firebirds beat the Lions, 5-0.

Free State High junior Aric Trent (22) out jumps Lansing's William Gering (2) as he heads the ball in for a score during their soccer match Thursday evening at FSHS. The Firebirds beat the Lions, 5-0.

Those who had never seen Heitor Nazareth play soccer before might have considered the Free State High sophomore an opportunistic offensive player Thursday night in the Firebirds’ season-opening victory over Lansing at FSHS.

His teammates and coaches know him too well to categorize him as such, despite his two-goal effort in a 5-0 FSHS win.

“The kid has been brilliant at practice,” Free State coach Kelly Barah said of Nazareth, “and his hustle just puts him in the right place.”

That characteristic revealed itself in the speedy sophomore for the first time in the 23rd minute. Lansing’s starting goalkeeper had to take a breather on the bench after getting knocked down in the box, and within a minute of his backup’s arrival in front of the net, Nazareth exploited starter Lance Schimke’s absence.

“I saw that the defender was coming behind me,” Nazareth said, “and I just cut back, and the goalie went with the defender, and I just shot it with my left (foot).”

His score into an unoccupied net put Free State ahead 2-0. Nazareth added to that margin in the first half, just more than 10 minutes later, by lacing a shot past a diving Schimke, and into the upper right corner.

“We had a lot of confidence,” Nazareth said. “Let’s just keep that going.”

Junior Jordan Patrick scored the first goal of the FSHS season in the 16th minute. He went one-on-one with the keeper and put the ball inside the left post after waiting for Schimke to blink first.

Juniors Will Laufer and Aric Trent got in on the scoring in the second half, finishing off the five-goal win.

“I think our through balls made us really effective,” Nazareth said, “and the runs.”

Barah wasn’t complaining about anything after the win, but he had some critiques.

“Defensively, we had some lapses,” the coach said, despite Lansing’s inability to challenge FSHS keeper Tyler Bryant. “We didn’t give up a goal, but it worries us a little bit that we could make those mistakes.”

Laufer, one of the few returning Firebirds, said the young team has some work to do.

“The timing looked good twice,” the junior said. “There were multiple offsides where either someone took one too many touches or the run happened too fast.”

Still, Free State scored five times. And Barah expected as much.

“I think right now we’re really, really dangerous,” the coach said, “when it comes to the attacking side of the ball.”