Head and shoulders above the Tigers

Michael Head of St. Aloysius, left, jukes with the ball as Crystal Springs defender Michael Nichols (41) and goalie Luke Rials try in vain to steal the ball. The Flashes stayed unbeaten with a 9-0 win in their first division game of the season. (The Vicksburg Post/C. TODD SHERMAN)

Sports writer

[12/03/02]When asked about his performance after St. Aloysius beat Crystal Springs 9-0 for their first division win of the season, Michael Head grimaced and said, “Not as good as I had hoped.”

Who could blame him. Head only scored four goals with three assists and broke Warren Central’s Chad Monsour’s Warren County scoring record with his 76th career goal coming midway through the second half.

And Head is only a junior playing in his first game of the season after suffering a spinal concussion during the Flashes’ football season.

“I didn’t have a very good game, my touches were off,” Head said. “Goal wise I did pretty good, not as good as I wanted, not that I wanted to score more, I just wish my touches had been better.”

The Flashes (4-0-1, 1-0) matched their scoring output for the year while holding the Tigers (0-5, 0-1) without a shot on goal.

“We pass a lot more and held a lot more,” Head said. “We kept a better control of the game than we have been lately.”

Tigers coach Don Clanton agreed.

“They’re a good team and they play good team ball,” Clanton said. “They have a new coach from last year, but they still play the same kind of ball. And that 17 (Head) is pretty good, I think he had four goals on us.”

The Flashes’ had two players score four apiece. Joe Theobald had four goals, Bern Ebersole scored a goal and Michael Engle and Jeff Rottman each had an assist.

“It feels good to have everyone back,” Lee said. “Now it feels like our first game because all the other victories have been warmups to lead us here.

“I feel we can play with anyone in the state.”