AMERICAN CORNER — They’ve been there and done that, and now they’ll be asked to do it again.
Kent County High School’s boys will travel today to Colonel Richardson (5-6-1) for an opening-round match in the Class 1A East Region I soccer tournament.
At stake is a berth in the region semifinals at top-seeded St. Michaels (7-4-1).
During the regular season, in the same week, KCHS (5-7) defeated Colonel Richardson, 1-0, and St. Michaels, 2-1. In both matches, the winning goal was scored in the second half.
“If the boys come out and want to win like they did against St. Michaels, we will come out on top,” coach Dennis Hickman told The Evening Enterprise.
“The boys played tough that night,” Hickman said of the come-from-behind win in St. Michaels’ homecoming match on Oct. 10.
“We need to continue that,” he said.
The Trojans’ coach acknowledged that they are “still having trouble manufacturing goals,” though it’s not for lack of effort.
In the 1-0 victory at Colonel on Oct. 6, KCHS led in time of possession but had a handful of scoring chances thwarted because of being offside.
Kent County closed out the regular season Oct. 13 with a 2-0 loss to North Caroline. The match was played in a steady rain, and on the turf at Washington College’s Roy Kirby Jr. Stadium — the Trojans’ home away from home this fall.
Because of work being done on the grass field at Kent County High School’s stadium, the Trojans played all their “home” matches on either the back field of Worton Park or at Washington College.
The loss to Class 2A North Caroline (6-5-1) was not unexpected.
With a roster that includes about a half-dozen travel team players, North Caroline “had more talent than us,” Hickman said matter-of-factly.
“We had a few chances for a goal, but did not convert,” Hickman said.
“I’m not surprised by the outcome,” he said.
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No. 3 seed Perryville (6-6) is hosting No. 6 seed Bo Manor (0-9-1) in today’s other first-round match.
St. Michaels and No. 2 seed North Dorchester (6-5-1) will host semifinal-round matches on either Friday, Oct. 24 or Saturday, Oct. 25.
The region final is Oct. 28.
