Improved goalkeeper has Perryville riding four-game scoreless streak into district tournament

Perryville junior goalkeeper and captain Waylon Huber loves the thrill of defending penalty kicks.

He stands on his toes in anticipation, eyeing the opposing striker with heightened focus. As his nerves rapidly rise, he can feel his heart pound and push through the number zero printed on the center of his baby blue kit.

All this before the ball is even kicked towards him.

"Nerves are always a thing. The mental game is huge," Huber said. "You got to know what you're doing at all times and what you're going to do with the ball. It plays a big factor in goalkeeping."

Huber only had two games end on penalty kicks, and he won both of them. Ironically, the Pirates' season ended last year on penalty kicks against Saxony Lutheran without Huber who had left the game in the first half due to injury.

Both he and the Pirates enter the Class 2 District 1 Tournament with as many wins this year as last year but with twice as much motivation to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2021.

"Not just Saxony, but every team we play," Huber said. "We gotta take up one game at a time and play our best and play together. That's a big part of our game."

The Pirates concluded the regular season with a 2-0 road win over Cape Central on Thursday, Oct. 24, in Cape Girardeau, with goals scored by Dezmen Hampson and Kade Baudendistel. Huber finished the season with 146 saves and nine clean sheets including four straight entering the district tournament, something that he sees as a source of pride.

Not just as an individual but as a collective.

"All credit to the guys in front of me," Huber said. "They're the ones keeping me in it, defense has been playing great this year, and our boys are putting it in the back of the net up front."

Huber, who also plays basketball and baseball, said he put in a lot of work in the offseason to make the progress that he has entering this season. While the uniqueness of the goalkeeper position is being able to use hands and catch and throw the ball, Huber said he improved in his footwork, which has made a difference for him as a goalie and teammate.

"With my feet better, they can play back to me," Huber said. "It helps a lot in moving the ball around and on goal kicks specifically, getting the ball in the air, letting them get on the ball and work with it."

The district tournament seeds and brackets have not yet been released but with the second-most wins and best winning percentage, Perryville can be expected to enter Affton as the No. 1 or No. 2 seed.