With the recent weather woes causing havoc with schedules, the Jefferson City Jays needed a game. So did the Fatima Comets.
The Jays and Comets had a similar thought Thursday. Why not play each other?
"I want to thank Fatima and coach (Kirby) Keth for playing us on short notice," Jays coach Eddie Horn said after Jefferson City blanked the Comets 5-0 on Friday afternoon at the 179 Soccer Park. "Especially to come up here in the afternoon to play."
Short notice or not, Keth was intently looking for a game.
"I was literally typing a text to Eddie about trying to play when he called me about trying to set something up," Keth said, noting his team had not played in nearly 10 days.
Jefferson City dominated the first-ever varsity meeting between the two programs, which was played in the afternoon prior to a pair of games in the previously scheduled Art Firley Shootout.
The Jays got on the board 15 minutes into the contest when Jordan Carron scored off a rebound.
"We need him to get on the board as we look toward the postseason," Horn said.
Spencer Bone made it 2-0 about four minutes later. Cody Boyce fed the ball across the front of the goal to Bone, who lined home a shot for the score.
"That was a good assist by Cody and a good shot by Spencer," Horn said.
The Jays made it 3-0 with less than 10 minutes to go before intermission on a penalty kick by Erich Sporleder.
"We played pretty well today," Horn said. "The first couple of goals we scored were just great plays on our part."
The Comets weren't playing up to their usual standards, Keth said.
"We've played with great intensity this season, but we just didn't have that today," he said.
Jefferson City made it 4-0 nine minutes into the second half on a goal by Alec Menzies, assisted by Bone. The final goal came midway through the half from Devin Jungmeyer.
Zach Brooks and Tyler Hager shared time in goal in Jefferson City's 13th shutout of the season.
Despite the final margin, Keth was happy to see his team back on the field.
"It was a good thing we played," he said.
The Comets (15-6) will wrap up the regular season with a pair of home games next week. Fatima will meet Union for Senior Night on Tuesday, then face Borgia on Thursday. Fatima has only had four home games so far this season.
"We will come ready to play both of those games," Keth said.
The Jays (13-4) will take on Chaminade in the final game of the Art Firley Shootout this morning at the 179 Soccer Park. The Red Devils are ranked No. 6 in the country in the latest poll by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
"They will be a great challenge for us to see what adjustments we need to make heading into the postseason," Horn said. "We are going to get a great opportunity to find out who we are and what we are about."
The game is slated for a 10:45 a.m. start.