Rowland Hall aims to build on momentum after big win

As coach Bobby Kennedy quickly pointed out, a stunning 3-2 overtime win at Waterford recently won't make Rowland Hall's season or program.

But it's a mammoth step in the right direction.

For possibly the first time in school history, Rowland Hall knocked off the Ravens in boys soccer. The huge victory came a week ago, capping a thrilling opening month of play for the Winged Lions.

Now they just have to build on the momentum. Of course, there will undoubtedly be ups and downs along the way, but — as the rest of the 2007 season unfolds — Rowland Hall will try to simply continue to build on what it's already accomplished.

Specifically, the squad will use its heart-stopping overtime win over Waterford as a reference point as it goes forward.

"In soccer, anyway, we have looked to Waterford and said, 'Let's see if we can get out there and at least compete.' Not that we just wanna be respectable, but go out there and show them," said Kennedy. "I think we went beyond that (in the Waterford win), and were gonna get better.

"We're gonna keep playing for each other," Kennedy added.

Heading into the Waterford match on April 4, the Winged Lions had plenty of motivation. A week earlier, Waterford star midfielder Spencer Linsley said in the Deseret Morning News that St. Joseph would be "definitely the biggest challenge" for Waterford in Region 14.

Nowhere in the story was Rowland Hall mentioned.

The Winged Lions definitely took the bulletin-board material to heart, and they set out to prove Linsley wrong.

"This whole week I was just thinking about that quote," sophomore midfielder Robbie Hull said after beating Waterford. "Before the game I'm just like, 'It's our time. Let's just go out there and let's do it, play our best and win this game and show 'em there's more competition out there."'

Uh, the Winged Lions did that and then some.

Against Waterford, Hull and fellow sophomore Walker Adams helped Rowland Hall control the midfield. A host of other guys also stepped up, but the Winged Lions' ability to dictate play from the middle was huge.

When it comes to contending for a region championship and trying to make a deep run at the 2A state tournament, Kennedy will count on his midfield to deliver several more superlative performances.