PREP SOCCER Mooney gives 'free clinic' in rout of Champion

The Cardinals scored four goals in the first 24 minutes of the 6-0 win.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STRUTHERS -- Don't look for Mark Seddon calmly relaxing with the rest of the Cardinal Mooney High boys soccer players before a match.
In a Zen-like peace, Seddon, a senior wing, stands alone, perhaps draped on a stretch of chain-link fence, mentally preparing for the looming battle.
The strategy must work, as Seddon scored a goal and the Cardinals blanked Champion 6-0 Saturday.
What was anticipated to be the showdown of top seeds quickly evolved into a clinic on the efficient distribution of a soccer ball by the Cardinals.
Mooney (11-2), the top seed in the Division II sectional, seemed more focused and usually was a step quicker to the ball than Champion. The Golden Flashes (11-3), who had won eight straight, were the top seed in the Div. III draw.
"I was just getting ready for the game, mentally prepared," said Seddon, who has 11 goals.
He said he tries to get the quiet time before every game.
"It helps; it does a lot," he said.
What goes through his mind?
"The touches I'm going to take. Passes I'm going to make. Basically, I run through the game before it starts."
After Mooney scored four goals in the first 24 minutes, the outcome was no longer in doubt.
Just after the break, Seddon took a pass from senior Alex Simon, dribbled in the box, and scored to make it 5-0.
"I just got a nice ball played into me and beat the guy and put it in," Seddon said.
Hat trick
Sophomore Kiki Willis scored three goals -- his fifth hat trick of the season -- and Simon added two goals.
Champion first-year coach Nate Mailach was asked if Mooney is the best team the Golden Flashes have faced this season.
"Oh by far. With Kiki Willis, it's like, I don't know whether to tell him congratulations or to ask him for an autograph.
"With him and Alex Simon in the middle, they're a combination that I wish I had on our team and every coach wished they had. They're unbelievable. We drove all the way up here for a free clinic."
Willis, now with 22 goals on the year and 45 in his career, scored from 15 yards out when the game was less than 10 minutes old.
"It was a pretty tense game and I came out nervous at first," Willis said. "I tried to keep my cool and relax. I was able to do a good job doing that."
Junior Christo Frangopolis found Willis free about 15 minutes before the half and Willis finished the play.
"It was a very nice cross. I saw it coming over the kid's head and bam, I put it in the back of the net."
Mooney now has four straight shutouts and has not allowed a goal in five of its last six starts. Senior goalie Tim Reigrut has 17 career shutouts in two seasons.
Mooney coach Lenny Krispinsky singled out several defenders, including Jon Freany, Michael Hernan and Josh Werning as being the catalyst of the shutouts.
"We've played against some quality competition," Krispinsky said. "Our defense has really risen. We've been working on defense, defense, defense.
"Those guys have really done a tremendous job in taking the pressure off our keeper."