Steg’s five goals lift KVA
BY LOGAN ULRICH
SPORTS EDITOR
Waiting can be hard sometimes for Christopher Steg.
Early in Kerr-Vance Academy’s 9-0 win on Wednesday night against St. Thomas More Academy, the freshman striker became more and more visibly agitated as the minutes ticked by without a goal.
The Spartans (4-0-1, 1-0) had their fair share of chances against an outclassed opponent, but multiple breakaway opportunities following long passes above the defense came up dry.
“We should have gotten probably two in the first five minutes, but that’s how soccer is sometimes,” head coach Devon Honeywell said. “It takes a little time to build some confidence.”
Steg is the only Spartan who plays year-round soccer on a club team. There’s a certain quality of play he’s used to, and he’s not used to waiting so long to see it.
“He plays in a system where everybody is pulling their weight, so if one person is out of tune, he can see it,” Honeywell said. “It might not be as fluent as he’s used to.”
But like he talked about with Honeywell before the season, Steg gritted his teeth and pulled his teammates along with him. Even though he’s a young player, he’s old in experience in the style Honeywell wants to play, and the coach leans on him to help a young Kerr-Vance team develop.
“Good players make others around them better,” Honeywell said, adding he told Steg. “You’re doing this, you’re playing at a high level, now you need to draw these guys around you.”
Finally, after almost 20 minutes, the rest of the team caught up. Once again, the ball soared above the defense and into green, open space. Striker Rafael Negron outran everyone else to it and finished the play past the keeper into the right corner of the net for the opening goal.
Two minutes later on another breakaway, Steg missed a shot aimed at the near corner. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long for another chance. Seconds later, he broke away again, and this time sent the ball right and into the goal for a 2-0 lead
From there, the floodgates opened.
After winning the ball near midfield, midfielder Joe Knott sent the ball ahead to Steg, who penetrated deep into the right side of the box before dishing to a running Negron for an easy goal. Then in the final two minutes, defender Max Perry sent a free kick arching into the box for Steg, who flicked it from fifteen yards out into the right corner of the net for a 4-0 halftime lead.
The game was effectively over at that point. But there’s no motoring down for Steg. He’s all in, all the time. Seconds into the second half, Steg again penetrated deep into the box before drawing a penalty kick Knott converted for a 5-0 lead.
Then after a collision knocked out St. Thomas More’s starting keeper midway through the second, Steg added two more goals — the first one a volley into the net after he chested down another deep pass, the second a shot across the face of the goal after he dribbled through the entire defense almost to the end line.
And with 11:11 on the clock, Steg slammed home the game-ender with a flick from a pass into the box into the corner of the net. It was his third goal of the half and fifth of the game.
“If you’re a winner, you always want to win, and you’ll do everything,” Honeywell said. “It shows in his worksmanship.”
Finally, Steg got the result he wanted — even if he had to wait longer than he was used to.
BY LOGAN ULRICH
SPORTS EDITOR
Waiting can be hard sometimes for Christopher Steg.
Early in Kerr-Vance Academy’s 9-0 win on Wednesday night against St. Thomas More Academy, the freshman striker became more and more visibly agitated as the minutes ticked by without a goal.
The Spartans (4-0-1, 1-0) had their fair share of chances against an outclassed opponent, but multiple breakaway opportunities following long passes above the defense came up dry.
“We should have gotten probably two in the first five minutes, but that’s how soccer is sometimes,” head coach Devon Honeywell said. “It takes a little time to build some confidence.”
Steg is the only Spartan who plays year-round soccer on a club team. There’s a certain quality of play he’s used to, and he’s not used to waiting so long to see it.
“He plays in a system where everybody is pulling their weight, so if one person is out of tune, he can see it,” Honeywell said. “It might not be as fluent as he’s used to.”
But like he talked about with Honeywell before the season, Steg gritted his teeth and pulled his teammates along with him. Even though he’s a young player, he’s old in experience in the style Honeywell wants to play, and the coach leans on him to help a young Kerr-Vance team develop.
“Good players make others around them better,” Honeywell said, adding he told Steg. “You’re doing this, you’re playing at a high level, now you need to draw these guys around you.”
Finally, after almost 20 minutes, the rest of the team caught up. Once again, the ball soared above the defense and into green, open space. Striker Rafael Negron outran everyone else to it and finished the play past the keeper into the right corner of the net for the opening goal.
Two minutes later on another breakaway, Steg missed a shot aimed at the near corner. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long for another chance. Seconds later, he broke away again, and this time sent the ball right and into the goal for a 2-0 lead
From there, the floodgates opened.
After winning the ball near midfield, midfielder Joe Knott sent the ball ahead to Steg, who penetrated deep into the right side of the box before dishing to a running Negron for an easy goal. Then in the final two minutes, defender Max Perry sent a free kick arching into the box for Steg, who flicked it from fifteen yards out into the right corner of the net for a 4-0 halftime lead.
The game was effectively over at that point. But there’s no motoring down for Steg. He’s all in, all the time. Seconds into the second half, Steg again penetrated deep into the box before drawing a penalty kick Knott converted for a 5-0 lead.
Then after a collision knocked out St. Thomas More’s starting keeper midway through the second, Steg added two more goals — the first one a volley into the net after he chested down another deep pass, the second a shot across the face of the goal after he dribbled through the entire defense almost to the end line.
And with 11:11 on the clock, Steg slammed home the game-ender with a flick from a pass into the box into the corner of the net. It was his third goal of the half and fifth of the game.
“If you’re a winner, you always want to win, and you’ll do everything,” Honeywell said. “It shows in his worksmanship.”
Finally, Steg got the result he wanted — even if he had to wait longer than he was used to.
