New-improved Lafayette eases to 4-0 victory

The Central soccer team improved from an Oct. 4 meeting with Lafayette.

Tigers coach Tom Doyle is pretty sure of that. Six straight wins, including five shutouts, to close the regular season and win the district championship back him up.

But Lafayette demonstrated Tuesday night that it has improved more. The Lancers posted a 4-0 victory in the Class 3 sectional meeting at Houck Stadium.

The win propelled the Lancers -- now 19-5-1 after opening the season with a 3-3 mark -- into Saturday's state quarterfinal game with rival Rockwood Summit. The two schools make up half of the Rockwood School District in west St. Louis County.

Central, a state final four team a year ago but fielding a much different lineup this year, finished the season at 17-10.

"I don't honestly think many people thought we'd be here after losing 13 players, including nine starters, from last year," Doyle said. "We had six shutouts in the last seven or eight games and were playing some of our best soccer at the end. We still had a bugaboo with scoring."

That bugaboo surrounded the team Tuesday night as well.

Central had just two quality shots in the first half -- both by junior Tyson Whiteside -- while Lafayette's pressure produced six corner kicks and two goals. Central senior keeper Tony Lueckel made six saves in the first half.

Lafayette put the game away with a goal in the opening seconds of the second half.

It was much different from the first meeting, when Lafayette won a 2-1 game in double overtime. The victory was the second in an active 12-game unbeaten streak for the Lancers that included a tie against St. Louis University High and a 4-0 trouncing of district top seed Howell Central.

"They've gotten better since the last time," Doyle said. "We've gotten better too, but they were a lot better tonight."

Said Lafayette coach Tim Walters: "The last time we played was really a lackluster game. They had lost to Summit the day before, and that took a lot out of them. We had beaten Notre Dame in overtime.

"We made some changes. We just try to defend now and play the game in their end."

Lafayette spent a lot of time in Central's end. Senior midfielder Tim Walters, the coach's son and a University of Kentucky recruit, scored three goals on the night.

He opened the scoring 10 minutes into the game by earning a penalty kick and then sending the shot past Lueckel.

Central turned away Lafayette for the next 26 minutes, but with 3:29 remaining in the first half, the Lancers cashed in on their fourth corner kick. Freshman Brandon Manzonelli assisted Ohio State-bound senior Tim Gabel, who headed a shot over Lueckel from about 10 yards out.

Central's best chance had taken place just minutes before, when Whiteside headed a nice crossing pass toward the goal but Lancers freshman keeper Mike Hamilton made his second save.

"I told them at halftime," Doyle said, "if we could score in the first five or 10 minutes of the half, and get the crowd in the game, we'd be right back in it.

"Giving up that third goal 26 seconds into the second half, that was inexcusable. Down 3-0, it's hard to come back against a good team."

Walters scored that third goal, with an assist from Gabel, on an invasion on the right side that looked innocent enough developing just after Central had kicked off the second half.

Walters scored again nine minutes later, assisted by freshman Eric Fink.

"We had breakdowns," Whiteside said, "and when you play a team that good, they're going to finish.

"We played our hearts out," he added. "I think they're beatable. I think we could've beaten them. We just had an off game."