The Hutchinson High School boys soccer team opened the season Monday (Labor Day) with a 4-3 loss Wichita North in the first round of the 46th Klaus Kollmai Wichita South Titan Classic.
Wichita North took the lead 1-0 on an own goal 10 minutes into the game.
Hutchinson tied the game at 1-1 with 19 mins remaining in the first half after Tate England headed home a pass from Jair Maciel.
Five minutes later, North took a 2-1 lead after converting a penalty kick following a foul in the box.
The Salthawks’ Alex Mendez for Hutch tied the game at 2-2 just before half off a perfectly placed 25-yard free kick.
10 minutes into the second half, Hutchinson’s Griffin Galyon would put the Salthawks ahead 3-2, converting his own penalty kick.
Wichita North scored twice in a five-minute span for the 4-3 victory.
“I felt we controlled the game and created the better chances,” said Hutchinson boys soccer coach Cidy Vargas. “North just capitalized on the few mistakes we made, and that was the difference.
“It was a hard-fought, intense game to open the season. We have plenty to learn from. Once we clean up the mistakes and start to convert some of the chances we created, we will be fine.”
The Salthawks will play Wichita West at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Garden City at 1 p.m. Saturday. Both matches will be played on the Wichita South East Field.
In a Wednesday match at Wichita South’s Turf Field, Maize will play Hesston.
On the East Field Wednesday, Derby plays Newton and Wichita East plays Garden City. On the West field, Dodge City plays Wichita North and Life Prep plays Circle.
In other Saturday games on the East Field, Wichita North plays Derby, Wichita West plays Dodge City and Wichita East plays Newton.
On the West field Saturday, Circle plays Wichita South, Life Prep plays Maize, Liberal plays Wichita Heights and Hesston plays Wichita Warriors Homeschool.
