Some Excelsior Springs varsity boys soccer players got some additional game-like reps after the final scrimmage of the Tigers’ Aug. 22 home preseason jamboree.

According to Tigers coach Brett McKenzie, Grain Valley coach Brett Lewis wanted his players to get in some practice penalty kicks (PKs). Thus, the Tigers and Eagles exchanged some penalty shots after their scrimmage.

“We decided that it was a good opportunity just to get a little PK shootout in,” McKenzie said.

Excelsior Springs goalkeeper Brett Jones faced Grain Valley’s penalty shooters. He complimented the Eagles on their skills and said he could tell they had worked on PKs.

“At least three of them I didn’t have a chance to get,” Jones said.

For Jones, a senior, the experience prompted him to work on getting quicker at spotting hints of where penalty shooters might kick and deciding where to dive to try to stop PKs.

“PKs are really a guessing game, for the most part,” Jones said, adding there are “little cues” goalies can notice.

Be…