Kickapoo Chiefs Get Ready

On a night that meant more for the Glendale Falcons, it was the Chiefs who calmly went about their business and settled things until more is at stake. While Glendale moved the ball well with their new 3-5-2 alignment, it was against a Chiefs squad who’s first priority had to have been to get past this game without further injuries. It was against this backdrop that Preston Bates struck the most surprising blow, scoring from the far side from an impossible angle on a corner kick free kick by Tyler Williams, when he had to have been the only person in the stadium thinking ’shoot’! His goal (celebrated above) gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute.

The Falcons tied the game in the 71st minute on a penalty kick taken by Ryan Frewin, following a hand ball call against Alex Palmer in the box (whoa, deja vu). It mattered not as the Chiefs took the ensuing restart straight into the Falcon’s box, with Adam Peterson receiving the ball from Preston Bates and doing a little ’shake & bake’ before unleashing a shot that rang off the underside of the crossbar and bounced out for Tyler Northrip to tap in. It took less then 25 seconds.

The Vikings were out to scout the game, front and center on the midfield stripe tonight so I’ll leave it to them to determine if I read the new Glendale aligment properly. Is 2nd in the Ozark Conference possible?

Meanwhile, for those inclined to look farther out, the Post-Dispatch profiles the two teams that will be battling for the District 9 title next week, Summit and Vianney. Both are dangerous opponents and barring an upset, one of them will likely face off against the Chiefs in the Quarterfinal November 11th. Summit, a 3rd place finisher in 2004 during TJ Novak’s senior season, finished second in their bracket of the Quincy Tournament recently and only lost to nationally-ranked SLUH 1-0 earlier this year.

PS – did I mention the halftime entertainment!