Habel’s awkward goal lifts Platte County to tight win in home opener

Cameron Habel went into the air just hoping to make contact — any contact.

In the end, Platte County’s junior midfielder used part of his right leg — maybe the shin — to awkwardly send the ball toward the net. He eventually celebrated his first goal of the season, just as much entertained as surprised with how the ball found the back of the net in the first half of what ended up a 2-1 win in Suburban Conference White Division play Monday at Pirate Stadium.

Habel ended up credited with the game-winning goal after Platte County went scoreless in the final 66 minutes, while eventually needing to hold on to a tenuous one-goal lead.

“Just the ball was bouncing around — chaos. Just tried to get it somewhat under control and then just swung at it, hoping,” said Habel, a third-year contributor in a second season as a full-time starter. “It’s definitely the prettiest goal, but it doesn’t matter how pretty the goal is if it goes in.”

Platte County (4-7) entered the week on a three-game losing after shutout losses in conference play to Truman (2-0) and Raytown (4-0) before going to a shootout against Central (St. Joseph). The Pirates went into halftime down 1-0 but leveled the score in the 52nd minute on a penalty kick for sophomore midfielder Ryan Waldman.

Central prevailed in the shootout, meaning Platte County didn’t have a goal in the run of play until the first half against William Chrisman.

Playing at home for the first time this season, Platte County opened in control of possession with Waldman pressuring down the left side. He pushed in toward the middle on an attack in the third minute and fired a right-footed shot curling around the far post on a near miss.

Waldman’s strong play ended up rewarded on a corner kick in the 11th minute. He found junior forward Johnny Ibarra about 8 yards out but nearly lined up with the back post and sent a header across the face of goal that found the lower left corner of the net while somehow traversing through multiple Bears defenders.

With only Habel and senior goalkeeper Paul Havemeier as returning starters, Platte County continues to seek a bigger impact from players like Ibarra who have shown flashes of potential the past three years but haven’t been consistent contributors.

“That was a good goal, good finish, and I think (Johnny’s) being more active and vocal as one of our upperclassmen now so yeah, hopefully, we continue to see that type of play out of him for the rest of the season,” Platte County coach Ashlyn Brantley said.

Just 3 minutes later, Platte County took advantage of a miscue from William Chrisman at the back. An attempt at a header clearance went awry with the ball eventually finding Habel for his unorthodox goal that put the Pirates up 2-0 in the 14th minute.

From there, chances for both teams were limited.

Platte County senior central defender Aidan Murray picked out Thien Nguyen with a long ball in the 33rd minute, but the junior reserve midfielder fired a shot high over the bar. The Pirates were much more limited in the second half with William Chrisman employing a physical style of play that took away the flow of open play and created a lot of starts and stops. The Bears took advantage in the 61st minute after turning a free kick into a header goal that left Havemeier, who totaled six saves in the win.

“There were some holes in there in that second half. We were kind of all over the place, a lot of chasing and defending,” Brantley said. “But when we can come together, we can really come together, and it looks good. I think we really started this game strong, that first half, knocking it around, and players were where they needed to be.”

Waldman created a strong chance to push the lead back to two in the 75th minute, setting up junior reserve midfielder William Babcock for a shot in the middle of a crowded box. William Chrisman blocked the attempt out for a corner kick that came to nothing, and the Bears held a lot of possession late with a chance to equalize.

Havemeier smothered a free kick late, and Platte County blocked a last-gasp shot from deep to secure the one-goal win — a welcome home debut after playing three weeks worth of games on the road.

“We definitely came out slow in the second half and lost our game and got into theirs,” Habel said. “Playing soccer, it’s going to happen. You’ve just got to fight it out and win. That’s what we did, so it’s a good win.”

Platte County seeks more consistency while also testing a large portion of the mostly inexperienced roster on a regular basis. The Pirates used 18 against William Chrisman and also went to a backline with senior Bresner Garcia and freshman Kai James-Gallimore as the fullbacks and Murray and junior Wally Baldwin in the middle.

Garcia and Murray both have limited varsity experience but have inherited big roles, while Brantley continues to vary formations with three or four defenders that also utilizes senior Quinn Traas as a reserve.

Accentuating the big turnover after Platte County lost last year’s large senior class, Habel moved from a role player in the midfield to a key attacker supporting Ibarra and senior Tug Thornton up front. The Pirates have surrounded him with juniors Ian Mathews and Abe Norman plus Waldman with newcomers like Nguyen, Babcock, junior Andi Sanchez, sophomore Camden Noller and freshman Josiah O’Rourke.

“I’ve loved stepping into the role,” Habel said. “I learned a lot from those guys, from those upperclassmen last couple of years. To be able to step into their roles, it really feels special.”

Platte County ended up winning back-to-back White Division games to improve to 3-2 in conference play but closed the week with a loss to Pembroke Hill, a former Class 3 District 8 opponent which has shifted to District 7 this year.

Platte County 8, Ruskin 0

Habel pushed his career goal total to six with a hat trick in Wednesday’s rout of Ruskin at Pirate Stadium, while Noller returned to the lineup and added a brace.

Prior to Monday, Habel had just two career goals for Platte County and then tripled that total in a matter of three days. Noller’s second goal came in the 58th minute and finished off the victory due to the mercy rule.

Norman finished with a pair of assists, including on the game-winner.

Platte County jumped to a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute on a goal from Sanchez with the assist going to Waldman. Habel scored twice in the 28th and 36th minutes, while Noller’s first came in the 34th minute to help the Pirates to a 4-0 lead at halftime.

Habel finished off his hat trick 4 minutes into the second half, while Mathews (46th minute) and Waldman (54th minute) put Platte County up 7-0. Havemeier ended up credited with four saves in his second clean sheet of the season.

Nguyen and Ibarra also contributed an assist apiece in the dominant win that saw Platte County put 24 shots on goal.

Pembroke Hill 8, Platte County 1

Thornton scored just before halftime, but the Pirates went into the break down 5-1 in a nonconference loss Thursday in Kansas City.

Noller provided the assist, but Pembroke Hill jumped to lead in the eighth minute and then took control with three more goals in a span of about seven minutes midway through the first half. Platte County managed just five shots on goal with Ibarra setting up Thornton for the lone goal in the 40th minute. Havemeier made 10 saves.

Platte County plays twice this week — at Kearney on Monday and at home against Belton on Wednesday.