Griffins Post 17th Shutout, Rakers Bags Hat Trick In Regular Season Finale
The Griffins begin their postseason journey on Tuesday, October 21 at Carlyle.
COLLINSVILLE – It was another day, another shutout for the Father McGivney Catholic High School boys soccer team.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The Griffins traveled to Collinsville to take on the Kahoks in their regular-season finale Monday night and came back with a 3-0 win.
It was the team’s 17th shutout of the season, smashing the record they set in 2018 with 13. McGivney posted 10 shutouts a season ago.
This is the 11th year for the boys soccer program, and it’s posted 90 clean sheets in that time through 240 games, resulting in a 37.5 percent shutout rate all-time.
Junior goalkeeper Patrick Gierer has been in net for 33 of those shutouts and was again Monday night in Collinsville.
But the main story of the night was the hat trick from McGivney’s leading goal scorer, Will Rakers. He scored three unique goals, his first coming with just 49 seconds left in the half.
Tucker Sundberg whipped in an out-swinging corner kick that Rakers rose up to meet to make it 1-0 for his 20th goal of the campaign.
The Griffins were awarded a penalty kick in the 62nd minute when Graham Baker was shoved in the back right inside the 18-yard box. Rakers, McGivney’s usual penalty kick taker, stepped up and buried it to double the lead.
To put the icing on the cake, he wrapped up his hat trick with just over three minutes in the game when he tapped in a low-driven cross from Gus Range at the back post.
When asked, head coach Brett Schubert couldn’t pick a favorite Rakers goal.
“Oh man, I mean, you’ve got three to choose from,” he said. “The PK, props to Graham Baker for just getting the ball in a dangerous area and not giving up on a play. But Will Rakers, whether it be showing up on the back post or winning a head ball, it just shows the kind of competitor that he is. In big games like that, he shows up for us.”
Rakers had a favorite in mind, however.
“I’d say that last one, to make it a hat trick. It was amazing,” he said. “I just hoped that it got through, and it did. I just never gave up on that play.”
With the win, McGivney improves to 18-4-1 as it closes the regular season. It was the program’s first win over Collinsville, coming in with an 0-3 record all-time.
“Great game by the team, great team effort, another shutout for our goalie and our defense. It’s good to win a game like this right before the playoffs,” Schubert said.
Those playoffs begin on Tuesday, October 21, for McGivney. The Griffins earned the top seed in the bottom half of the sectional. They await the winner between No. 7 Carlyle and No. 9 Roxana.
McGivney plays in the Carlyle Regional and, should it advance, will host the sectional with both semifinals taking place on Tuesday, October 28, and the championship on Saturday, November 1 at 6 p.m.
The Griffins are one win away from tying the program’s win record, set last year at 19. They’ve never posted a 20-win season, but could do so with a regional win.
“These kids are responding well to what is being asked of them and just executing it,” Schubert said. “It’s fun seeing the kids succeed and find results. It’s rewarding for the kids to see results from their hard work.”
More like this:
- Most Popular
- Most Recent
