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PrintIn a game touted as a chess match between city rivals, Rock Bridge couldn’t have picked a better time to play like kings.
Led by two goals in a span of two minutes in the first half by forwards Matt Salberg and Michael Falco, the Bruins shut down host Hickman 3-1 to stay undefeated in Class 3 District 10 play.
Bruins coach Kirby Keth, who said he enjoyed tactically sparring with Hickman coach Jon Strodtman, said he was glad his team adjusted to the Kewpies’ game plan.
“It was much more of a chess match,” Keth said. “They just kept coming at us, but we gained our composure and started organizing, and we felt like we could take advantage of their defense.”
After a slow start to the season, the Bruins (6-6-2) seem to have finally hit their stride, getting back to .500 by defeating district foes Smith-Cotton and Hickman in consecutive road games.
Despite the modest record, Rock Bridge has faced some of the best teams in the state, consistently testing itself against perennial statepowerhouses. In a recent tournament in St. Louis, the Bruins faced three of the state’s top schools, including Chaminade, Kirkwood, and Trinity high schools.
Even though the Bruins failed to record a win against those teams, Keth said his team began to play with an improved attitude that began with a tie against Trinity and has carried over into district play. Now, he said, the Bruins are a dangerous threat.
“I really think that the quality of play, the speed of play, and the intensity of the games we had in St. Louis proved that we could play quality soccer,” Keth said. “They showed that they are a dangerous team and one to be dealt with as we move through the season.”
The Bruins quickly showed Hickman (8-2-3) how explosive they can be, and while the win against their rivals was sweet, senior captain Aaron Swaney said the win had even larger implications in a season buzzing with excitement.
“This win was huge,” Swaney, who scored off a second-half penalty kick said. “We did three big things with this win: We got back to .500, we basically control our destiny in districts now, and we beat Hickman.”
It’s taken a while, but for the first time in Keth’s two-year stint, the Bruins are finally feeling like a confident team.
“We’re really starting to feel that we’re a strong team and that we can beat people,” Keth said. “And you’ve got to have that attitude, you’ve got to have just a little bit of a swagger with that confidence.”
That swagger has the Bruins feeling better than they have in a long time.
“We’re higher than I think we’ve been in the past two years,” Salberg, who leads the team with seven goals, said. “We’re really confident with this team and we think it’s one of the better programs we’ve had. We’re just looking towards the future.”
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