Rummel pummels Parkway to advance to state soccer quarterfinals

METAIRIE – This has been a good season for the Archbishop Rummel Raiders soccer program.

It has a chance to be an outstanding, if not great season.

The seasoned Raiders squad, seeded third in Division II, easily dismissed No. 14 Parkway 9-0 in one half Tuesday afternoon at home.

It was total dominance from the start as the Raiders peppered the Panthers for 11 shots on goal and put nine in the net.

Seniors CJ Koppeis scored four goals and Tobo Takpor scored three for the Raiders to lead the assault. Koppeis now has 37 goals while Takpor has a single season school record 41 goals.

Koppeis put Rummel on top in the fourth minute, scoring off a throw-in to make it 1-0.

Koppeis made it 2-0, scoring with his left foot in the 10th minute.

Takpor scored the first of his goals in the 14th minute to put the Raiders up 3-0.

Junior Chris Wallace followed with a goal in the 21st minute and it was 4-0.

Takpor scored on a header in the 27th minute and added his third goal a minute later to make it 6-0 before Koppeis followed with a his third goal on a header in the 31st minute and it was 7-0.

Rummel coach Julio Paiz then substituted freely and freshman Robert Vargas scored in the 38th minute off a rebound to make it 8-0 before junior Trey LeJeune put in the final goal in the 40th minute on a long ball to end it.

The Panthers (13-8-1) managed two shots on goal.

“It was a good experience today,” Paiz said. “We were on a mission today. “We were very effective in front of goal as we have been all season. I wish we could save a little bit of this for the next one. We just have to continue to stay focused, stay humble and take care of business.

Rummel (20-5-1) advances to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2007 to meet the winner of No. 6 Ouachita Parish and No. 22 New Orleans Military & Maritime. The Raiders will be looking to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2004.

Does Paiz believe Rummel can win a state title?

“I believe anything is possible,” Paiz said. “We need to make sure that we continue to defend the best possible way and finish out chances and if we do that, I think that we have a chance.”