Zapata joins 100-goal club
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“Catching him (Diego) and eventually passing him has been a goal of mine my entire high school career.”
Jake Zapata is in rare company when it comes to Excelsior Springs High School boys soccer.The senior has surpassed 100 career goals. He scored No. 100 during the Tigers’ recent shellacking of visiting Winnetonka (see related story on page 12).Zapata is only the third player in program history to reach 100 goals. The others are Matt Happy, Excelsior Springs’ all-time goal-scoring leader; and big brother Diego Zapata.The younger Zapata shares the credit for his achievement.“My teammates have played a big part in me being able to reach 100 goals,” he said.He also credits his older brother.“Catching him and eventually passing him has been a goal of mine my entire high school career, and after every season, we have talked about how far away I was from doing that and I am now almost there,” Jake Zapata said.The younger Zapata could easily add to his total before the season ends,...