Playing in a team concept, the Dodge City High School Red Demons shut out the Haysville-Campus Colts, 3-0, on Tuesday in the first round of Class 6A regional soccer.
"I've been saying it all season long, we don't really have any key players," coach Virgil Hutchcraft said. "They are a team, and that's the concept we're going with. The goal-scorers, you love to have those, but it's a team effort. That's the way we're going this year."
The Demons, who improved their school-record mark to 14-3 overall, started scoring early in the first half, with a goal 10 minutes in by Victor Millan, assisted by Jean-Damien Bouyer.
Just 10 minutes later, Millan did it again, this time assisted by Luis Lopez.
The Demons lead 2-0 at the half, their defense not allowing anything.
"Our defense has been strong all season long and that's the way we want to keep it," Hutchcraft said. "I think that's what we have to do from here on out if we want to keep surviving in the playoffs."
The Demons came out in the second half ready to finish it.
Less than 10 minutes in, Ivan Peralta got a goal off a penalty kick, giving the Demons a 3-0 lead, a lead they held as the game clock wound down.
The win over the Colts advances the Demons to a second-round regional game on Thursday against Wichita Northwest at Memorial Stadium, starting at 6 p.m.
Wichita Northwest defeated Wichita North 1-0 Tuesday night.
"On Thursday, we'll see tougher competition, definitely," Hutchcraft said. "Either team that comes out of that will be tougher. I don't think our level is quite where it needed to be for the next round. We need to bring a little more effort and fire for the next game."
"They are going to have to play perfectly," Hutchcraft said. "They are going to have to play with every effort they have. We've talked about it every game. That's why we've been as successful as we have; they have to bring it for every game.
"We've had a couple off games, this being one of them. They didn't take tonight off, but I thought the effort wasn't where it should be. We need to bring more, increasing it every time. The pressure is going to be harder and they have to be ready for it."
DODGE CITY —
