August 31, 2016
www.PikesPeakNewspapers.com
Teller County Pikes Peak Courier & Extra 1B
Can you say back-to-back victories? First consecutive soccer wins for WP boys since 2013 Panthers were 1-30 since the start of the 2014 season. The program’s last winning season occurred in 2010 when it went Danny Summers 7-6-1. That was also the dannysummers@yourpeaknews.com last season prior to 2013 that a Panthers team won back-to-back games. A big reason for the Panthers’ success this It’s been a while since the words season is the play of junior midfielder “victory” or “winning streak” have been used to describe the Woodland Park High Jens Hoffman, a foreign exchange student from Denmark. School boys’ soccer team. But that is all “When I got here, I didn’t know anychanging with the new and improved body, but it’s been fun getting to know 2016 Panthers. people and developing friendships and After beginning the season with two be supported,” Hoffman said. losses, Woodland Park defeated Falcon, Hoffman had the key goal in the 3-1, on Sept. 6, and Lotus School for victory over Falcon. With the Panthers Excellence in Aurora, 2-1, on Sept. 8. leading 2-1 late in the second half, PapWhat’s the big deal, you ask? padakis dribbled a ball deep into the The victory over Falcon was the Falcon end of the field and centered a program’s first over a fellow Class 4A ball in the box for Hoffman, who booted opponent since Oct. 15, 2013, when the it past the goalkeeper. Panthers defeated Sierra, 1-0, in a Metro Pappadakis has been a scoring League crossover game. machine. He scored the lone goal in And the win over Lotus marked the the Panthers’ 8-1 loss to Pueblo East first time a Panthers soccer team won on Sept. 3 and leads the team with five back-to-back games since Oct. 10 & goals on the season. 15, 2013, when WP beat Coronado and “I take chances when I can find Sierra. them,” Pappadakis said. “If I have space “I haven’t been in a losing season yet, to dribble, I dribble. If I have space to so I don’t know what that’s like,” said shoot, I shoot.” Woodland Park freshman midfielder Pappadakis scored the eventual Greg Pappadakis, who scored two goals deciding goal against Lotus with about each in the victories over Falcon and 2A 15 minutes remaining in the second half Lotus. “It feel good to know that Woodwhen he dribbled all the way down field land Park is winning again.” off a goalie kick to give the Panthers a Defeating a team in its own classifi2-0 lead. cation and winning consecutive games “I just try to produce the best I can,” might not be a big deal for some proPappadakis said. grams, but it is going a long way in helpWoodland Park is a young team with ing the Panthers to gain the confidence no seniors. Other key contributors this they need to be successful. season have been juniors Darwin Edie “As long as we keep our intensity and and Mason Doby; sophomores Dean don’t get too cocky, we can continue our Reif and Blake Simmons; and freshman winning streak,” said Woodland Park Nick Nijkamp. The goalkeeping duties freshman defender David Pedroza. “It have been shared by junior Dan Ganoza feels nice to win.” and sophomore Eric Nijkamp. Prior to the victory over Falcon, the
FROM THE SIDELINES
Photo courtesy of Paul Magnuson Above: Woodland Park junior forward Brendan Koziol boots a ball against Pueblo East.
Photo courtesy of Paul Magnuson Woodland Park freshman defender Nick Nijkamp, in green, looks for space to operate against Pueblo East.