Republic recognized seniors Marco Donjuan, Markus Mitchell, Drake Lightfoot, Jabali Wanekaya, and Will Fronabarger before its game against Bolivar Thursday. And when the game started, those seniors stepped up in a big way for a 5-2 win.
In the first half, it was Lightfoot and Mitchell in the spotlight, along with the rest of the defense. Republic and Bolivar played a scoreless 40 minutes to take a 0-0 score into halftime.
When the second half started, Republic’s senior scorers grabbed the spotlight. Will Fronabarger and Marco Donjuan each scored two goals, and Jabali Wanekaya added one. Wanekaya had two assists and Fronabarger and Donjuan had one each.
The Republic defense continued to play well, shutting out Bolivar until a late and disputed red card given to Mitchell left Republic short-handed. The Liberators took advantage to score two late goals.
Coach Kevin Hauck said it’s a small but “impactful” senior group. “They are special. They love to play the game. They have a high soccer IQ and just know how to play the game,” Hauck said. “I have loved coaching them. It has been awesome to see them develop into the players they are today. We will miss them greatly.”
The win improves Republic’s record to 11-7-1. The Tigers travel to Carl Junction next Tuesday.
