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Kickapoo’s run toward a Class 4 state championship appearance came up one game short as the Chiefs fell to Vianney 3-1 on Friday evening.
The Golden Griffins peppered the Kickapoo net to the tune of 24 shots. Kickapoo stood tall though, trailing just 1-0 at the half after Vianney scored in the 18th minute on a Jacob Sansone header.
Vianney would put some distance between them and Kickapoo with two goals within two minutes of each other at 50:55 and 52:36.
Kickapoo then began to rally and take the fight to Vianney despite the three-goal deficit.
“It is the way these kids are wired. It is what they have done all season. We went into district play at 10-13. Not a lot of people thought we would be in this position. That shows you the type of guys that we have. A lot of high character guys and they aren’t going to quit. I am proud of how we fought,” Kickapoo coach Phil Hodge said.
Kickapoo continued to push forward and pressure the Golden Griffins. The Chiefs were finally rewarded in the 70th minute after Aidan Bilbao served a corner kick to Zachery Salyers who headed the ball in for Kickapoo’s only goal of the night. They appeared to make it 3-2 with another goal in the final 10 seconds, but it was waved off by the official to make the game final at 3-1.
Now Kickapoo will have to bounce back tomorrow as the Chiefs will face CBC in the Class 4 third place game.
“There are (a lot) of other teams that would like to be in our position. Any time you get a chance to win your last game of the year, you have to embrace that opportunity and make the most out of it,” Hodge said.
CBC beat Kickapoo 6-2 when they faced off back on Oct. 7.
Kickapoo and CBC kick off the Class 4 third place game at noon on Saturday in Fenton, Mo.
