Jackson ends Central's season

Central's Dominique Jones splits Jackson players Ryan Schlick, left, and Law Duncan during the first half of their Class 3 District 1 semifinal Tuesday at Hillsboro, Mo. (Fred Lynch) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

The Indians advanced to the Class 3 District 1 final with a 3-0 victory

HILLSBORO, Mo. -- Nick Rangel hit a streaking Ryan Schlick in stride in the middle of the field.

Schlick accelerated past the Central defense and deposited a low shot into the corner of the goal.

It was exactly what Jackson coach Zack Walton wanted to see.

"The first time we got the ball down on the ground and really started doing possession resulted in a goal," Walton said. "It was like the light went on and we really got the ball down on the ground and did a lot of combinations. We worked off of each other and kept possession of the ball and worked it. We pressured their backs a lot, and that's what worked for us in that first half."

The Indians rode the momentum of their first goal to a 3-0 victory against Central in their Class 3 District 1 boys soccer semifinal Tuesday. Jackson advanced to Thursday's 6 p.m. district title game against top-seeded Seckman.

"Nick just had it on the outside and I saw a through ball and just called for it," Schlick said. "It was on from there."

Schlick's goal came just over 12 minutes into the contest. Central coach Dan Martin said he saw a difference in his team after the early score.

"That first goal, I think that was the end of it," Martin said. "We put our heads down and Jackson played with confidence after that first goal. I thought they were forcing for that first one, but after that, they played the rest of the game like they were going to win it."

Jackson's offense settled in after Schlick's goal and applied near constant pressure on the Central (5-18) defense. Jackson senior Tyson Stoverink said the Indians needed to get over their early jitters.

"I think we just got calm," he said. "We came out really intense but we were just hitting the ball back and forth. I think once we settled into the game we really knocked it around and that helped us out a lot."

Jackson (17-5) padded its lead five minutes after Schlick's goal when Stoverink found time to maneuver in the box and get off a shot that beat Central goalie Jamie Pickel.

"The ball was just coming down out of the air," Stoverink said. "I settled it down off my chest. There was a guy behind me.

"I thought they were going to be right on me when the ball was coming down. But they gave me enough time."

Jackson had five other prime chances in the first half, but Pickel answered the call. He made three point-blank stops and two others on balls tattooed for the goal.

"I thought Jamie did very well," Martin said. "For letting up that first goal, he kept his head right in it. It could easily have been 8-0, 9-0."

While Pickel was busy, Jackson goalie Cody Boehme enjoyed the early lead.

"It takes a lot of pressure off me," he said.

Central did a better job of limiting Jackson's chances in the second half. But the Tigers couldn't sustain an offensive attack.

"We had a lot of seniors on the team and they knew if they didn't step up this was it," Martin said. "They came out and really tried."

Walton didn't mind that his team sat back in the second half. The Indians finally added another insurance goal with less than six minutes left when Jacob Scholl settled a corner kick, swung around and smacked it into the open goal for the 3-0 lead.

"They get that two-goal lead and they tend to sit back just a tad more and don't have the urgency to score," Walton said of his team's second-half play. "That's just playing smart. The reality is you don't have to take those chances, you don't have to take those risks."

The Indians drew extra motivation for Tuesday's game because of the last time the teams met. Central knocked off Jackson 1-0 in mid-October after the Indians blanked the Tigers 4-0 in late September.

"I felt like we really needed to come out and prove ourselves," Stoverink said. "It seemed like we were inconsistent beating them the first game then letting them come back."

Now the Indians will get a shot at revenge for last year's playoff ouster. Seckman eliminated Jackson on penalty kicks in last year's district semifinals.