A Maize South high school senior scores first pro soccer goals in Wichita Wings’ win
Less than three months after helping lead the Maize South boys soccer team to an undefeated state championship, Alvaro “Junior” Quezada notched the first professional goals of his career with the Wichita Wings on Saturday night.
Not bad for a 17-year-old who is still a senior in high school.
Quezada earned Man of the Match honors after netting two goals and adding an assist in the Wings’ 11-4 win over the Colorado Inferno FC at Hartman Arena in Park City. Wichita improved its season record to 3-1 with the home victory.
It was the first rout of the season for the Wings, which had their first three games decided by a total of four goals. But the only thing anyone wanted to talk about on Saturday was the play of Quezada, who scored the opening goal of the game with a clean-up job on the back post but also scored a golazo in the third period when he flipped the ball up on his own for a volley he smashed into the back of the net and then added an impressive back-heel assist in the fourth quarter.
“The kid is having a game,” former Wings star LeBaron Hollimon raved about Quezada on the Wings’ streaming broadcast. “He is having himself a phenomenal game. Great decisions on the ball. Great goals scored. That’s really good stuff.”
Quezada finished with 24 goals and 18 assists for Maize South this past fall, helping the Mavericks win the program’s first Class 5A state title and earning Class 5A Forward of the Year honors in the process.
He has played the past six years playing outdoor soccer for FC Wichita Academy and started his indoor career last winter on the Wings’ farm team in the MASL3 division. Saturday’s game was Quezada’s third professional appearance and best game to date with his first two goals and second assist on the season.
Quezada started the scoring binge with 10:34 remaining in the first period, which was followed with Wichita’s second goal just 10 seconds later when David Lucio stole the kick-off and found defender Daniel Sack on the back post for a 2-0 lead. The party continued later in the period when Kieran Laking slotted a shot past the keeper for a 3-0 lead, then took his shoe off and threw it against the boards in celebration.
Former Buhler star Bransyn Felty netted two goals, both of which were blasts from distance. Jared Robbens also scored a pair of goals, while Wichita native David Lucio scored one of Wichita’s three power-play goals and added two assists. Laking tacked on his second goal on an impressive volley in the fourth period, Maize graduate Kevin Ten Eyck finished with three assists and Luis Dantas Rodrigues notched a late goal.
Wichita led 4-2 at halftime, then doubled its lead in the third period on Quezada’s jaw-dropping goal and Robbins’ finish from the spot. The Wings then turned the game into a blowout with five goals in the fourth-quarter.
The next Wings’ home game slated for Saturday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. against the New Mexico Runners.
Wichita Wings 11, Colorado Inferno FC 4
Colorado 1 1 0 2 — 4
Wichita 3 1 2 5 — 11
Goals—1. Wichita, Quezada; 2. Wichita, Sack (Lucio); 3. Wichita, Laking (Ten Eyck); 4. Colorado, Dominguez (Jordan); 5. Wichita, Felty (Lima); 6. Colorado, Caro; 7. Wichita, Quezada; 8. Wichita, Robbins (pk); 9. Wichita, Laking (Ten Eyck); 10. Colorado, Jimenez; 11. Wichita, Dantas Rodrigues (Zamora); 12. Wichita, Felty (Quezada); 13. Wichita, Lucio (Ten Eyck); 14. Wichita, Robbins (Lucio); 15. Colorado, Gonzalez. Shots–Colorado 3-4-1-7—15; Wichita 12-7-8-9—36. Saves—Colorado, Dzuba 22-32; Wichita, Vargas 7-11.
This story was originally published January 15, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
.jpg)