EDWARDSVILLE - Senior striker Colin McGinnis has gotten off to a good start, with five goals and two assists for 12 points as Edwardsville High's boys soccer team has gotten off to a great start.
Since losing the season opener to Springfield 1-0 in the Metro Cup showcase at the start of the heat wave that invaded the area two weeks ago, the Tigers have won five of their last six matches, including a 5-0 win over Waterloo Gibault Catholic, a match in which both McGinnis and Evan Moore each had a brace (two goals).
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
McGinnis is a Johnston Law Firm Male Athlete of the Month for the Tigers.
"I'm feeling good," McGinnis said during a post-match interview. "It was a good game, 5-0 lead. It's good for us to get a good game before our big game next week."
The team has won many a big game to start off the season, having won their first three Southwestern Conference games, creating a great feeling among the players.
"It feels good," McGinnis said. "We're undefeated in our conference so far, and I think we can keep doing it."
Both of McGinnis' goals came in similar fashion: Taking a through ball, having the Gibault goalie come off his line and slotting the ball into the back of the net.
"So for the first one, Liam McLean had the ball and he slipped it in behind the back line," McGinnis said. "I went behind, just tapped it around the keeper for an easy goal. And honestly, it was the same thing (on the second goal). I felt the keeper was coming out, someone slipped in behind the back line, the keeper came out, I touched it to the left of him and it went in the bottom left (corner)."
The Tigers did play well, and when called upon, Edwardsville goalie Zeke Manning came up with a pair of great saves to preserve the clean sheet. In fact, all of the Tigers played very well in the win over the Hawks.
"Agreed," Manning said. "I think we all played well and the outcome showed it."
McGinnis also agrees that the Tigers have been playing well throughout the opening weeks of the season and could be a team to reckon with in Class 3A.
The most important thing is that the Tigers are playing very well and are determined to be among the area's best teams in 2023, clicking along on all cylinders.
"I think the team's doing great," McGinnis said. "We don't have a problem scoring or anything like that. We have a couple of clean sheets, too. So, I think we're off to a good start."
The Tigers have a couple of key matches at home coming up in the SWC, against O'Fallon and Belleville West, and McGinnis thinks that the team will be ready to play in both games, especially in a rivalry game against O'Fallon.
"I want to go undefeated in our conference," McGinnis said, "and win regionals and sectionals."
If the opportunity is there to win the IHSA Class 3A championship, the Tigers will be glad to take their chances.
"I think we've got the team to do it," McGinnis said. "I think so."
As for McGinnis himself, his season's goals are both simple and very ambitious.
"As an individual, I want to lead the team in goals and assists," McGinnis said.
Congratulations to Colin McGinnis for being a Johnston Law Firm Male Athlete of the Month.
