Published Sunday  |  May 13, 2007

Dingledine directs Spartans to a win

In only nine minutes to start the second half, Class A scoring leader A.J. Dingledine picked up three goals and had Lincoln East in control of the scoreboard as well as the match.

The Spartans went on to a 3-2 victory Saturday over Millard West at Morrison Stadium to open their bid for a record third straight Class A boys soccer title.

"A.J. is a special player, so he executed," East coach Jeff Hoham said. "I'll keep it in-house, but what we had to say at halftime had to light a fire. AJ took the team on his back. How many people in the state can score on a bike kick 8 yards out like that, finesse it into the upper (corner)? But remember he doesn't get those goals without the great assists."

While the official scoring had two of the Northeastern (Okla.) State recruit's goals as unassisted, Hoham said his scorebook had two assists for Jim Ebke and one for Brandon Videtich.

Millard West coach Ron Beernink, with a team at state for the first time since 2004, said the No. 9 Wildcats (12-9) had trouble matching East's speed and obviously its state-tournament experience.

"It's been the story in eight or nine of our losses. We give players a lot of time in our box and if we're that slow of foot or if we don't react well, it's been a concern," said Beernink, whose team led in the second half of seven of its losses.

Dingledine said he's gotten used to teams trying to take him out of the match with multiple defenders on him.

"Every time I look around, there's two guys on either side of me," he said. "I just work for openings, and when they come I try to finish them off."

Lincoln East (15-3).........................0 3-3

Millard West (12-9).........................1 1-2

Ä Goals: 1, MW, Aaron Galley (Thomas Heavey), 33:44. 2, E, A.J. Dingledine, 42:24. 3, E, Dingledine (Jim Ebke), 44:10. 4, E, Dingledine, 48:54. 5, MW, Matt Sifers, 75:16.

Dingledine's hat trick lifts Spartans

BY BRENT C. WAGNER / Lincoln Journal Star

Sunday, May 13, 2007 - 01:19:13 am CDT

OMAHA — Raymond Dingledine marched onto the field and gave A.J. Dingledine a bear hug Saturday.

Raymond Dingledine rarely misses a Lincoln East boys soccer game, and wishes his wife was still alive to watch the talented grandkids.

Raymond would have been proud regardless, but A.J.πs three-goal game — in a state tournament match nonetheless — sure had him  beaming.

The Spartans beat Millard West 3-2 in the opening round of the Class A boys state tournament.

Now, Lincoln East gets another game against Millard South, in Mondayπs 6 p.m. semifinal. Itπs a rematch of last yearπs state championship game, when Lincoln East won its second straight championship.

Kearney defeated Lincoln Southwest 3-1 in another first-round game, and the Bearcats will play top-ranked Millard North in the other semifinal.

Millard West led Lincoln East 1-0 after Aaron Galley scored 33 minutes into the game. But then Lincoln East — well, mostly Dingledine — took over.

Dingledine scored three goals in only eight minutes to put the Spartans in control early in the second half. Matt Sifers scored for the Wildcats with five minutes left, but they never threatened at the finish.

Dingledine has scored his share of goals in a four-year varsity career, but heπs never scored three goals that quickly.

The Spartan seniorπs first goal came two minutes into the second half, when he punched one in on a scramble at the net. Two minutes later, Dingledine headed in a ball over the outstretched arms of the goaltender, off of Jim Ebkeπs throw-in.

Dingledine capped his day with a goal that people were drooling over, when his bicycle kick gave the Spartans a 3-1 lead.

His 23 goals this season lead the state, and Dingledineπs performance was the talk of the second day of the tournament.

≥I have never seen a more beautifully executed goal in a state tournament than the bike A.J. delivered from 8 yards out,≤ East coach Jeff Hoham said. ≥He placed it in the upper 90 with finesse. I challenge anybody to do that under the circumstances — itπs amazing.≤

While many fans at Morrison Stadium were seeing Dingledine for the first time, East senior Taylor Stacy has had a front-row seat for a while.

≥To see him do something like that is not a shock to me anymore — itπs expected,≤ Stacy said. ≥Itπs kind of funny. He knows he can do that, and we know we can set him up. Itπs just what he does — and I love to see him score.≤

Hoham says there was a passionate halftime meeting after Millard West was able to dictate play for much of the first half. In the second half, everybody played better, Hoham said.

≥All three goals were a result of set pieces,≤ Hoham said. ≥A.J. finished them, but if those balls were not put right there by (Ebke and Brandon Videtich) there arenπt three goals.≤

Dingledine passed the praise on to guys like Ebke, saying he was just in the right place at the right time when he scored.

You can be in the right place once in a state tournament game. Three goals, however, thatπs something special.

≥A.J. took this team on his back at halftime,≤ Hoham said. ≥Heπs a wonderful role model for all of us.≤