Columbus bounces Lincoln East

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BY BRENT C. WAGNER / Lincoln Journal Star

OMAHA — Just another 1-0 victory for the Columbus boys soccer team.

“We’re used to these games,” said Anthony Linder, who scored the goal.

With the 10th-ranked Discoverers’ win against No. 8 Lincoln East on Thursday in the opening round of the Class A state tournament, Columbus won its ninth 1-0 game.

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Lincoln East's Christopher Connor (left) heads a ball as Dillon Loschen (23) of Columbus defends Thursday. (Michael Paulsen)

Lincoln East's Christopher Connor (left) heads a ball as Dillon Loschen (23) of Columbus defends Thursday. (Michael Paulsen)

Columbus (13-4) now makes its third trip to the state semifinals, and will play Omaha Creighton Prep on Saturday. Prep rallied to defeat Omaha South in overtime in another first-round game.

Millard South and Millard West will play in the other semifinal.

Linder scored in the 58th minute, and from there Columbus held on vs. the Spartans.

“There’s reasons why I don’t have much hair,” Columbus coach Jamie Bennett said.

“Our defense is by far our strong point, and we just tell our forwards to give us one (goal) and we’ll win most games if we can get one.”

East had the best scoring chances early, including Zachary Zmiewski’s shot bouncing off the post five minutes into the game.

The Spartans also had the better scoring chances in the final 10 minutes, but couldn’t convert. East had two free kicks and two corner kicks in the final minutes, including a free kick just outside the box with two minutes left.

“We worked hard and never quit,” East coach Jeff Hoham said.  “But Columbus came out on top on the scoreboard, and that’s all that really matters.

“We created as many chances as we could, (but) we didn’t spread the field as much as we would have liked to.”

Linder is the Discoverers’ top scorer — he’s only scored nine goals — and chipped a shot into the top of the goal from inside the goal box.

“Jacob Kloppel sent a nice one-touch ball to the other side of the 18-yard line, and I found myself in the right spot,” Linder said. “I just put it past the keeper’s head.”

Bennett praised the shot.

“That (goal) was strictly effort,” Bennett said. “Everybody seemed to give up on it a little bit, and Tony just kept hustling after it.

“That’s kind of what we promote all year. We may not be the most skilled team, but if we can play a good team game and outhustle the other team, that’s where our strong point is.”

As if getting to state wasn’t motivation enough, Linder says Columbus was also trying to prove it could compete with teams from Nebraska’s two largest cities.

“Before the game, our coach had a list of everything people had been saying about how teams from the western district aren’t ready to compete with Omaha and Lincoln teams,” Linder said. “We just wanted to come down and prove ourselves.”

Lincoln East, playing at state for the 16th straight year, ends the season 10-6.

After losing four all-state players from last year’s state runner-up team, East went through some growing pains early before knocking out No. 4 Lincoln Southwest in the district final.

“I’m proud of my boys,” Hoham said. “I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish this season. There were plenty of doubters in the soccer community.

“We don’t have anything to be ashamed of. We just built ourselves another possible contender for next year by putting together a young team this year.”

Reach Brent C. Wagner at 473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com.