Sports
Hazelwood West, Howell Central Ready for Wednesday Sectional Soccer Matchup
The 20-7 Wildcats to take on 17-7-3 Spartans in first round playoff showdown, with the winner advancing to state quarterfinals on Saturday.
The Missouri State High School Activities Association boys soccer tournament were supposed to get underway Tuesday, with games all over the state, in all three competitive classifications but in the St. Louis area, rain halted that. So now Wednesday is gameday.
One of the most anticipated matchups will be the early evening meeting at Don Muench Stadium, between and GAC South co-champ Francis Howell Central.
The Wildcats, who come into Wednesday’s sectional round game with a 20-7 record this season, have been on a fantastic roll since the beginning of October.
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In the last month, West has won 10 of its last 12 contests, including a pair of sensational victories in the Class 3 District 6 tournament at the Florissant Civic Center last week.
Leading scorer Jeff Cameron, who ranks fifth in the entire St. Louis area with 33 goals this season, had two goals and five assists in the district tournament wins over McCluer and McCluer North, and will likely be the focal point player of Howell Central’s defensive gameplan.
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Fellow senior Luke Promaroli has also had a fine season for the Wildcats, with eight goals this year, while teammates John Homeyer, Kris Ross, and Joe Withington have six goals apiece this season.
The Spartans, who have won four straight, are a terrific defensive club, that’s shut down some of the best offenses in the area this season, including a pair of shutouts in last week’s Class 3 District 5 tournament at Ft. Zumwalt South High School.
Junior Brett Hodges and senior Stephen Rozycki lead Howell Central with 12 goals apiece this year, but it has been the brilliant play of senior goalkeepers Kevin Dougherty and Levi Morris that has many believing the Spartans might be primed for a deep run in this year’s playoffs.
Gametime at Don Muench Stadium is set for 6 p.m. Fans can stop by Hazelwood Patch immediately after it concludes for full coverage of what figures to be a scintillating sectional playoff soccer game between Hazelwood West and Francis Howell Central.