Black paces offense for Lady Colonels soccer
The Henderson County girls soccer team got off to a quick start this season winning their first three games.
In the season opener, HCHS defeated second region opponent Trigg County, 4-1. It was all freshmen on the stat sheet as McKinley Black posted a hat trick with three goals, while Latta Johnston scored the other goal, and Alex Rendle collected an assist.
A 2-0 win over Ohio County followed. Sophomore goalkeeper Jersey Gardner and the Lady Cols defense recorded a shutout. Sophomore Layla Gugel scored her first goal of the season, with Black netting one as well. Freshmen Johnston and Chandler Gillham chipped in with an assist each.
The next game was a highly anticipated matchup against Madisonville North-Hopkins, who knocked HCHS off in a shootout during the second region championship last year. It was the Lady Cols who were victorious this time, however, as Black and senior Baylee Womack scored a goal each. Rendle provided one assist. Gardner came up with another shutout in the 2-0 victory.
The first bump in the road came versus highly-ranked Marshall County. The Lady Marshals shut down the Lady Cols offense in a disappointing 5-0 loss. Their second loss would come five days later in a 1-0 shutout against Daviess County.
In between the two losses, HCHS would pick up their fourth win of the season over Christian County by a score of 7-0 to maintain their undefeated region record. In that game, Gugel picked up a hat trick of her own, while Black and Rendle added a score each. Juniors Annabelle Wilson and Madelyn Sutton got in on the action with a goal each as well. Assists were credited to freshmen Johnston (2) and Rachel Womack, sophomore Anna Forbes, and seniors Paislee Toombs and Addy Gish.
The Lady Cols finished August with a 4-2 record.
“We, defensively, outside of the Marshall County game, so far have been really solid, not giving up a lot of chances or a lot of goals so far…The goal-scoring production is going to need to increase in the next couple of weeks, as we start playing better teams to maintain any kind of standard,” said Head Coach Ben Dempsey of his team.
The Lady Colonels knew that their defense, anchored by upperclassmen, would be good to start the year, but there were questions about how often they could put the ball into the back of the net. While they are still hoping for more offensive production, it has been underclassmen like freshman McKinley Black providing the offensive firepower. Black’s hat trick against Trigg County was her first ever varsity game.
On playing varsity as a freshman, Black said, “It’s definitely been an adjustment, but it’s made me stronger as a player. I’m thankful for the opportunity and I’m excited to keep proving myself.”
At the end of August, she led the team with six goals and had also collected one assist. She credits much of her early success to the push she gets from her teammates and guidance she receives from her coaches.
Dempsey said of his young offense, “When you have a lot of kids that are young, they’re always energetic and willing to run. She (Black) and Layla Gugel and Alex Rendle…between the three of them they bring a lot of energy up front. I really think those three are poised for a really big season over the next couple of weeks to get our goal-scoring production going.”
Black is no stranger to the pitch. Wanting to emulate her brother Lincoln, who is a senior for the boys’ varsity team, she has been playing in various leagues since she was three years old, ranging from the YMCA to travel leagues in Owensboro and Henderson. Her proudest moment so far is scoring the game-winning goal for South Middle School during the City Championship.
She claims former US Women’s soccer star Alex Morgan as her favorite player and has worn Morgan’s #13 in every sport she has played.
The athletic forward also looks up to senior midfielder Baylee Womack. “She is such a great player. When I think of the word leader, that is who I think of. She’s aggressive, loud on the pitch, outgoing, and just welcoming to everyone.”
Black loves to play fast and “embraces contact” on the field. Her aggressive style is what leads to so many scoring opportunities, but it wasn’t always that way, she said.
“In my very first (youth) game, I cried almost the whole game. I didn’t like the fact that I got the ball stolen away from me. My dad told me in order not to feel that way, ‘You’ll have to get aggressive’…The very next game I fell in love with soccer.”
She hopes to one day attend college on a soccer scholarship and study business. Hard work and achieving her goals on the field are what keep her motivated. She refuses to accept that anyone can outwork her and knows that every practice and every game is a step closer to her reaching her goals.
Her favorite movie is Unbroken, which is the story of Olympic athlete, Louis Zamperini, who later became stranded at sea, and then a prisoner of war during World War II. It’s safe to say the rousing story of redemption and resilience has influenced the way Black leads her own young life.
Among these many other inspirations, faith is most important with McKinley saying that her “biggest inspiration in life is God, who gives her strength and purpose” and calling Christian music her favorite genre.
Off the field, Black enjoys a good steak and like most teenagers, enjoys spending time with her friends to relax and rejuvenate from long days in class and on the pitch.
Black’s parents Anthony and Tara could not be prouder of both their children.
“It has been so exciting to watch them grow up and love soccer. This is a sport neither Anthony or I knew anything about. We all learned as they grew through rec, school, and travel ball,” Tara Black said.
“It’s great to see their hard work pay off,” said her father, Anthony Black. “I think people see the end result in games, but don’t see the grind that got them there.”
McKinley Black knows that continuing to push herself and improve every day is the key to success this season. Even though they are young, she can see her team’s confidence and drive growing. She hopes this leads them to success in the district and region while making a name for themselves at state.
Bowley explosive for Colonels soccer
The Henderson County boys soccer team has had an up-and-down season thus far. Through August, the team owns a 4-4 record.
“We feel good about the beginning of the season. We don’t like some of the results we’ve had, but we’ve been in all of our games…The schedule hasn’t been easy. I’m optimistic still,” said head coach Benson Pryor.
The season began with a thrilling home victory over Apollo, 3-2. In the game, senior Alex Bowley notched a hat trick on assists from senior Gaige Leslie and juniors Miles Pryor and Reid Campbell.
What followed were two losses to teams currently ranked in the top 25 in the state, according to the website MaxPreps. Central Hardin (#25) beat the Cols 2-1, then a few days later, they suffered a 3-1 defeat to McCracken County (#22).
HCHS rebounded with a 1-0 win over district rival Webster County, in which sophomore Beckham Womack assisted Pryor for the only goal. Senior goalie Aaden Bugg recorded his first shutout in the victory.
The Cols then traveled to the OCHS Turf Invite where they were met with two more losses. This time it was the #5 Butler Bears who beat them 3-1, followed by a narrow 3-2 loss to the host team, Oldham County.
The team got back on track to end August, picking up two more region wins.
First was a victory over Hopkinsville, 5-2, in which five different Colonels scored. Bowley and Pryor were joined by senior Miles Gugel and juniors Zehn Hazelwood and Warren Grove. Grove also had an assist, along with Leslie and sophomore Tyler Payne.
Then, Caldwell County witnessed the biggest offensive output by HCHS yet in a 7-0 rout. Senior Lincoln Black had two goals, but it was Bowley who was the showstopper netting an incredible five goals. Assists were provided by Bugg, Hazelwood, and sophomores Owen Gillham and Boone Thompson.
“Some players have really stood out. Alex Bowley’s really been doing well up top. Even though we’re getting scored on, Aaden Bugg has played some really great soccer in the goal for us,” said Pryor.
Pryor also talked about how Black and Camden Shoemaker have anchored the backline, while Miles Pryor has become a consistent leader at midfield.
It has been Bowley who has led the charge on offense, though. Last season, he managed 10 goals playing on a senior-laden team. With all eyes turned towards him this year, he has already collected a team-high 13 goals. According to KHSAA stats, that number was also tops in the second region at the end of August.
For a kid who enjoys following the Star Wars franchise and the occasional meal at his favorite restaurant, Homer’s Barbecue, soccer has been one of his loves for most of his life.
Since he was three or four years old, Bowley has played his way through every level of soccer that he can think of from the YMCA to Henderson Soccer Club to the Western Kentucky Soccer Academy. He truly fell in love with soccer, though, when he started playing travel soccer in second grade for Pryor. He’s been motivated to compete ever since.
“I just started to stay focused on the game. Normally, really all it takes is just knowing that there’s people to go out there and compete against. Just being able to play gets me motivated,” said Bowley.
His only pre-game ritual to get hyped is listening to anything by rapper Drake. Aside from that, he subscribes to no superstitions. He just stays focused on the task at hand.
A member of the varsity soccer team since he was a sophomore, Bowley has now stepped into a leadership role as one of the team captains. He said it has taken time for him to get used to being one of the go-to guys, but he’s trying to imitate the support given by the seniors last season and he’s being the best teammate he can be.
“It’s not gone exactly how we wish it could, but each game we are learning, even though there’s been some built-up frustration…We’re a new team with two returning starters. It’s going to take time,” said Bowley.
As for Bowley and his game, he calls himself an “attack-oriented” player who likes to make a ton of runs behind the defense to find space and get off as many shots as possible.
He knows he’s not always the strongest or fastest player on the field, so he relies on his control and timing to generate success. He is a big supporter of professional footballers like Cole Palmer and Harry Kane, after whom he tries to model his game. He says they “like to finish plays” and “have a little bit of flair.”
Who does he consider his biggest supporters? His family of course, especially his parents. He can count the number of games they’ve missed on one hand. He’s thankful not just for their support on the field but in anything he does in life, whether it is school or clubs or anything else in which he is involved.
One of his favorite moments on the pitch was beating Madisonville 1-0 last year in the second region semifinal. He didn’t score, but he called the rivalry win “some of the most joy” he’s ever had playing soccer.
“I got my jersey ripped in half that game, so that’s definitely a memorable experience to have. Definitely beating Madisonville and seeing how the community came together and just how happy me and my teammates were to get that job done,” said Bowley.
The Cols captain stated that the goal is still the same for the season, despite a slow start. They want to win the region again and get back to state. He has no doubt that they can accomplish that goal.
“There’s no story without obstacles along the way, and we’re just going to get through them…We’re a great team to watch and we’re going to make a run. I hope people will come out and watch it happen.”
