Reams produces
reams of goals for Genoa-Kingston
By Len Eisele
Junior forward Eagan Reams has been an offensive force for the Genoa-Kingston since he stepped onto the pitch as a freshman.
In three years, Reams has already eclipsed the school career-scoring record. In his second game this season on March 23, he scored the 49th goal of his career against Winnebago and overtook Cogs scoring legend Cris Carmago and his previous mark of 48 goals set in 2012.
“I never really thought about (the record),” said Reams. “I didn’t know I was coming close to it, but when I was there it felt good. I just hope I can run away with it and score more goals.”
Reams had four goals in that game, which is a common theme in Reams’ production; once he gets going, he’s hard to stop. Reams has had a hand in almost every score this year. It’s rare when he doesn’t at least get a point in a game, even in this shortened season.
“It’s just playing with confidence,” Reams said. “I’m a junior this year, so I think it’s my responsibility to lead by example. I’m confident and comfortable playing. I just want to lead my team and help score goals.”
Reams burst onto the varsity scene as a freshman with 14 goals including a four-goal effort against Plano.
That was just the beginning for the prolific scorer. Reams doubled his goal production in his sophomore campaign with 28 goals.
This past difficult season held challenges for Reams. He missed the first game of the season, a 4-2 loss against conference-rival Dixon, because of quarantine after an exposure from the basketball season.
“It was hard,” Reams said. “First game of the season, you want to get out there playing with your team. It was unlucky.”
He responded by embarking on a torrid scoring spree. In his first game back, Reams scored five goals and notched one assist against nonconference foe Sandwich.
“When I get the first goal, I feel in a rhythm; I feel good,” Reams said. “I feel like I can just keep on getting more. I feel like after the first goal it’s easier. It just keeps on coming, basically.”
After scoring four goals and setting the school mark in his second game back, Reams again put up another four-goal game against Stillman Valley in Big Northern Conference play.
The offense hums when Reams is on the field, but it also crashes when he’s off the field. Reams went down with an injury and had to miss some time, which contributed to the Cogs three-game losing streak this season. The Cogs didn’t lose a game this season (6-0-1) when Reams has scored twice.
“It’s hard to see my team play without me,” Reams said. “Being held responsible for goals is something I can live with. The pressure doesn’t really get to me. I know I can put the ball in the back of the net. I just try to help my team when I’m on the field.”
One of the toughest games of the season was a physical rematch of last season’s Class A regional final against Indian Creek. While not quite avenging last season’s loss, the Cogs put forth a strong effort and twice held a two-goal lead. In the end, they were forced to settle for a 5-5 tie. Reams put an offensive clinic that afternoon, scoring three goals and assisting on another two.
“I hate losing,” Reams said. “Coming out with energy and passion to avenge that loss was important. It’s hard to come out and beat a team after losing to them. You have to make your adjustments and changes and really execute on the ways you didn’t last time.”
It’s not just his goal scoring that has helped his team this year, but also his maturation as an offensive player according to Cogs coach Randy Tate.
Reams has five assists to go along with his team-leading 24 goals in 13 games. He led the team in scoring despite missing two games this season. The next highest goal-scorer, Junior Leon, had 19.
“Not really a day goes by without me touching a soccer ball,” Reams said. “I go to my club team and practice with my club team, too.
“I can find my teammates pretty well. I know I have the ability to score, but finding passes is definitely part of the game. A good assist, I think, is as good as a goal.”
Reams has also moved from just a scorer to a team leader his coach said, which is an important part of his development.
Another part of that development is a special connection with his teammates, especially sophomore Leon, who led the team in assists.
“We’ve played club from an early age (together),” Reams said. “We still have a good, strong chemistry. When one of us is on the ball, we can look up and just know where the other one is at.
“We can combine well. In the attacking third, I think it’s easy to find one another. Just being able to combine and have that chemistry with him, it makes the goal seem a lot bigger.”
That chemistry will come in handy as the team continues to grow together as they build toward the fall season.
Tate said that the Cogs offense really flows between the two scoring stars.
“We just found a game plan, and we stuck to it,” Reams said.
The Cogs finished the year 6-7-1 overall and 3-3-0 in the Big Northern Conference, good enough for the fourth seed in the conference tournament. They won for the second time this against Oregon, 5-3, in the quarterfinals. Reams scored twice and added an assist in the win.
Unfortunately, that was the last time the Cogs scored in the spring season.
They dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to top-seeded Dixon on a goal in the last three minutes in the semifinals. The season ended in a 5-0 loss to second-seeded Mendota in the third place game.
That should provide Reams with plenty of incentive to ramp up for a big senior season.
“I think this year was a year we can build on,” he said.
reams of goals for Genoa-Kingston
By Len Eisele
Junior forward Eagan Reams has been an offensive force for the Genoa-Kingston since he stepped onto the pitch as a freshman.
In three years, Reams has already eclipsed the school career-scoring record. In his second game this season on March 23, he scored the 49th goal of his career against Winnebago and overtook Cogs scoring legend Cris Carmago and his previous mark of 48 goals set in 2012.
“I never really thought about (the record),” said Reams. “I didn’t know I was coming close to it, but when I was there it felt good. I just hope I can run away with it and score more goals.”
Reams had four goals in that game, which is a common theme in Reams’ production; once he gets going, he’s hard to stop. Reams has had a hand in almost every score this year. It’s rare when he doesn’t at least get a point in a game, even in this shortened season.
“It’s just playing with confidence,” Reams said. “I’m a junior this year, so I think it’s my responsibility to lead by example. I’m confident and comfortable playing. I just want to lead my team and help score goals.”
Reams burst onto the varsity scene as a freshman with 14 goals including a four-goal effort against Plano.
That was just the beginning for the prolific scorer. Reams doubled his goal production in his sophomore campaign with 28 goals.
This past difficult season held challenges for Reams. He missed the first game of the season, a 4-2 loss against conference-rival Dixon, because of quarantine after an exposure from the basketball season.
“It was hard,” Reams said. “First game of the season, you want to get out there playing with your team. It was unlucky.”
He responded by embarking on a torrid scoring spree. In his first game back, Reams scored five goals and notched one assist against nonconference foe Sandwich.
“When I get the first goal, I feel in a rhythm; I feel good,” Reams said. “I feel like I can just keep on getting more. I feel like after the first goal it’s easier. It just keeps on coming, basically.”
After scoring four goals and setting the school mark in his second game back, Reams again put up another four-goal game against Stillman Valley in Big Northern Conference play.
The offense hums when Reams is on the field, but it also crashes when he’s off the field. Reams went down with an injury and had to miss some time, which contributed to the Cogs three-game losing streak this season. The Cogs didn’t lose a game this season (6-0-1) when Reams has scored twice.
“It’s hard to see my team play without me,” Reams said. “Being held responsible for goals is something I can live with. The pressure doesn’t really get to me. I know I can put the ball in the back of the net. I just try to help my team when I’m on the field.”
One of the toughest games of the season was a physical rematch of last season’s Class A regional final against Indian Creek. While not quite avenging last season’s loss, the Cogs put forth a strong effort and twice held a two-goal lead. In the end, they were forced to settle for a 5-5 tie. Reams put an offensive clinic that afternoon, scoring three goals and assisting on another two.
“I hate losing,” Reams said. “Coming out with energy and passion to avenge that loss was important. It’s hard to come out and beat a team after losing to them. You have to make your adjustments and changes and really execute on the ways you didn’t last time.”
It’s not just his goal scoring that has helped his team this year, but also his maturation as an offensive player according to Cogs coach Randy Tate.
Reams has five assists to go along with his team-leading 24 goals in 13 games. He led the team in scoring despite missing two games this season. The next highest goal-scorer, Junior Leon, had 19.
“Not really a day goes by without me touching a soccer ball,” Reams said. “I go to my club team and practice with my club team, too.
“I can find my teammates pretty well. I know I have the ability to score, but finding passes is definitely part of the game. A good assist, I think, is as good as a goal.”
Reams has also moved from just a scorer to a team leader his coach said, which is an important part of his development.
Another part of that development is a special connection with his teammates, especially sophomore Leon, who led the team in assists.
“We’ve played club from an early age (together),” Reams said. “We still have a good, strong chemistry. When one of us is on the ball, we can look up and just know where the other one is at.
“We can combine well. In the attacking third, I think it’s easy to find one another. Just being able to combine and have that chemistry with him, it makes the goal seem a lot bigger.”
That chemistry will come in handy as the team continues to grow together as they build toward the fall season.
Tate said that the Cogs offense really flows between the two scoring stars.
“We just found a game plan, and we stuck to it,” Reams said.
The Cogs finished the year 6-7-1 overall and 3-3-0 in the Big Northern Conference, good enough for the fourth seed in the conference tournament. They won for the second time this against Oregon, 5-3, in the quarterfinals. Reams scored twice and added an assist in the win.
Unfortunately, that was the last time the Cogs scored in the spring season.
They dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to top-seeded Dixon on a goal in the last three minutes in the semifinals. The season ended in a 5-0 loss to second-seeded Mendota in the third place game.
That should provide Reams with plenty of incentive to ramp up for a big senior season.
“I think this year was a year we can build on,” he said.