Boys soccer: Porsche's 2 quick goals help Huntley top Jacobs
Huntley's Hayes Porsche made the move to varsity last season and has been nothing short of spectacular.
"Hayes sees the game different that most people, myself included," Red Raiders coach Matt Lewandowski said. "He makes something out of nothing all the time, it's just unbelievable. He could kick up into the rafters, bounce it around four times, and it ends up in goal. It's wild the way he sees the game. It's uncanny."
Porsche continued his goal-scoring brilliance Tuesday by knocking in the first two goals in a 4-0 win over Jacobs in their Fox Valley Conference game. Huntley (12-2, 5-0 FVC) remained undefeated in conference to keep pace with Crystal Lake South.
Porsche tallied the first of his two goals with 28 minutes left in the first half when sophomore midfielder Hudson Nielsen found Porsche making a run and hit him in stride with a right-footed flick. Porsche took one touch and put it past Jacobs goalkeeper Manny Gonzalez.
On his second goal, Porsche was on the receiving end of a long free kick from Zach Heitkemper, who booted the ball from about midfield. Porsche got a head on the ball, it was blocked off the chest of Gonzalez in goal, and Porsche scored on the rebound for a 2-0 lead with 21 minutes left in the half.
Huntley added its third goal with 35 minutes remaining in the second half when Micah Overly headed in a corner from Thomas Rodriguez. Huntley went up 4-0 with five minutes left on a goal from Bryan Kigongo.
Porsche's rise to varsity was something the Raiders coaching staff did not see coming. He now has 13 goals this year.
"We're still not convinced if we messed up, or if he wasn't trying," Lewandowski said. "Hayes is one of the most unlikely goal scorers we ever had. He gets the end glory, but the whole mantra this season is, 'Team success equals individual success.' "
Lewandowski said Porsche and Nielsen formed a strong connection on JV last year.
"They both see the field so well. I wish they had more time together," Lewandowski said. "The played JV last year and just racked up goals. The vision from both those guys, they always know where each other is going to be."
The win over Jacobs was the first for Huntley in at least four years.
Huntley goalie Ethan Kornas, who had several point-blank stops in net and finished with six saves, has been on varsity all four years. Tuesday was the first time he's been on the winning end against Jacobs.
"A lot of people have been calling us overrated," Kornas said. "To beat Jacobs in the way we did, getting the shutout and putting up four on them, I think it's gonna send a message to the rest of the conference. We've got a lot of seniors on this team that aren't here to play around."
Gonzalez made six saves for Jacobs (6-7, 2-3) in the first half. Danylo Krylosahnskyy had four in the second half.
Jacobs coach Colin Brice anticipated a tough challenge from Huntley.
"Our boys knew Huntley was going to come out flying," Brice said. "I thought in the first half, it was a back-and-forth game. Obviously the two mistakes, gave up the two goals. [Huntley is] senior heavy and they have a lot of experience. They possess the ball well, they do everything well. Ethan Kornas in net is phenomenal back there. I think it starts with him."