Talk about a difference.

The game Kennedy's boys soccer team played Tuesday, March 18 versus rival Highline was a 2-0 win, but it wasn't a good win. So their coach had them run and run and run for practice the following day. Then they played Tyee, on the 20th. It was a whole different game, from the start, a 7-0 win over Tyee at Starfire in Tukwila.

In the first minute was when Lancers junior midfielder Jacob Ambrozic scored to make it 1-0.

That was a welcome start, because they sure didn't want to do again what they did after Tuesday's uninspired performance against Highline.

"We played a lot better today than Tuesday," said Lancers captain and senior midfielder Tony Armitage, directing things from the central location of the field nicely all game, even though he didn't score a goal in this game.

"We had a hard practice yesterday (before Tyee game)," said Armitage.

"They got up for this game," said head coach Brian Mullen. "I talked to them yesterday about Tuesday's game."

And he spoke with more than words.

"We had a 90 minute game that we played in 25 minutes," said Mullen. "I tell them to run, to sprint, until I say stop."

Running, sprinting, on the field with a soccer ball, right?

"No, there is no ball," said Mullen.

That's no fun.

"Exactly," said Mullen.

So, this game's energy level was exactly the opposite of the Highline match and Tyee was the unfortunate team in the Lancers' path.

But, on the bright side, and not trying to bring in points to have the Lancers run more, the Totems did play pretty good defense for the 20 minutes following the first Ambrozic goal.

"The kids have a lot of heart, they are a great bunch of kids," said Tyee coach Chip Colbath, whose team got good defense from the 39th minute down to the 17:20 mark of the first half, keeping the traditional state power Lancers scoreless. The Lancers lost in the first round of the 3A tournament last year, but were in the final four the year before that. They won state in 1999.

With 17 minutes left in the first half, it was the Lancers scoring their second goal off senior, Josh Lewis' corner kick. The crossed ball found the feet of freshman Malone Utley, inside the penalty area, and he got it past the Tyee keeper standing on the goal line but wide. But freshman Dawit Kelete was there to pass it in and make it 2-0.

The freshmen for the Lancers, two start, seem to be filling in nicely as well as the other three frosh that don't start. Then with the two sophomores, the 'Lancers' share" is of a seasoned group of juniors and seniors.

"We have young players," said Armitage, adding, "But we have a lot of team chemistry. Even the final four team ('06), not this much chemistry."

In between some good heading-out of the ball and clearing from the Totems' defensive back four players, including freshman sweeper Lalo Aguirre and outside junior fullback and captain Khalid Abate, who did well defensively and made the Lancers third goal of the half.

With 1:45 left in the half, Ryan Monson fielded a nice ball crossed in from Kelete, 3-0.

The Lancers blistered the Tyee goal the whole game, amid two or three good saves from the Totems keeper, Jose Rivera, it is noted, or this score could have been worse.

After that first half of 95 percent control of the ball for the Lancers, nine minutes into the second half, coming off an Ambrozic corner kick, senior forward Rudishi Muschett scored on the cross and made it 4-0.

Just a lot of good premier talent was what Colbath said of why the Lancers dominated so heavily, not only with the ball, but 95 percent of the play, minus a good shot from Tyee senior captain Joe Arguello 10 minutes into the first half.

"If our kids play, they play rec ball," said Colbath. "This is a low income school. "Big difference in class and a big difference in skill level."

The Lancers' fifth goal came from Utley, and the sixth goal, the prettiest of the game, was an off-balance, pivoting, left-footed hook shot that sailed over Rivera's head into the upper, far-post vee and made it 6-0. That beauty came from Ambrozic, and one more from him and he would have the hat trick.

The last goal of the game would come, however, from junior Christian Nichols. Fitting way to end since that score came in the last minute of play.

Armitage was mentioned after the game as a good player to talk to.

"He's sort of a field general, a senior," said Mullen. "You hope that is where your experience starts. Hopefully his experience can calm them down."

"Them" being the younger underclassmen, a lot of them on this team.

"We have five freshmen and any young team battles with inconsistency.That is what we are striving for. It is easy to get up for the Highlines and Hazens, but we have to get up for the other teams too."

Why weren't they up for the game played against Highline?

"Their new (better player) guys were gone. I like to think that is the reason," said Mullen, in his fifth year now coaching the Lancer boys team, following a couple decade long success trip with former coach Doug Stamnes.

There are a lot of reasons for success, consistency and experience are a couple. The Lancers seem to have a little of both now. By the end of the season, if they can develop some more, they should have a lot of good things for coach Mullen and his staff of Stamnes and Emerson DeOliveira to talk about.