By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

The Monarchs' leading goal-scorer was feeling ill.

But senior Jason Mayers made sure the Thomas More Prep-Marian boys' soccer team didn't feel any ill effects from sophomore Teddy Kang's absence from the starting lineup.

On Thursday at TMP field, Mayers scored two goals in the first half -- including the first one of the match on a penalty kick -- in a 7-0 win over Nickerson.

A foul in the penalty area in the sixth minute gave the Monarchs a penalty kick, and Mayers drilled a low shot into the corner to make it 1-0.

"I actually thought I missed it," Mayers said of his first varsity PK try.

"It went in."

TMP-Marian coach Darryl Wellbrock has his players try penalty kicks in practice. In Thursday's case, practice made perfect.

"We started first day of practice," Wellbrock said of shooting PKs. "We pick players every night. If they miss, the team runs soccer suicides.

"Gives us an idea who can shoot PK," Wellbrock added.

Mayers has looked good in practice recently, so he got the shot Thursday.

"They said I was top of the list to take them," Mayers said.

Mayers put his 6-foot-4 frame to good use to score his second goal, in the 37th minute.

Junior David Rico served a ball into the box from the left corner, and Mayers soared above all the rest to score on a header directed inside the far post. That made it 4-0, and with the game in hand, TMP-Marian mixed in reserves in the second half.

"Rico actually got the ball (up in the air) for me," Mayers said. "It was awesome placement."

TMP-Marian (4-4) also got goals in the ninth minute from senior Darren Wellbrock and from Kang in the 29th.

Senior David Nietling crossed the ball into the box, with Wellbrock scoring on a header to make it 2-0.

Kang, who entered the game in the 12th minute, didn't give up on a run to score his first of three goals in the match. Kang slipped and fell to the ground on his run from the right corner, but immediately got back to his feet and worked the ball past junior goalkeeper Troy Smith for an easy tap-in goal.

TMP-Marian added three goals in the second half, the first two by Kang to complete his hat trick. Kang now has 13 goals in seven games played.

In the 50th, Wellbrock took a direct kick from the Monarchs' side of the halfway line, and booted a long ball into the box, where Kang collected it and scored for a 5-0 lead. Kang scored again in the 54th on a cross from junior Braden Dreiling.

Sophomore reserve Eric Choi finished the scoring with a goal in the 73rd minute.

Monarch freshman goalkeeper Drew O'Brien played the first 61 minutes without having to make a save, Sophomore Payne Reif finished up. Although O'Brien didn't have a chance in goal, he was busy distributing balls to midfielders to help TMP-Marian build attacks. Reif had the toughest play in goal, coming off his line in the 64th to smother the ball, beating Nickerson senior Caleb Miller to it.

Coach Wellbrock wanted his team to come out strong against Nickerson (5-5) after the Monarchs played well in a loss against Dodge City two days earlier.

"I didn't want us to drop one iota from Dodge City," he said.

Match notes

TMP-Marian concludes a three-game home stand with a 3 p.m. match Saturday against Salina-St. John's Military Academy. Earlier this season in Salina, TMP-Marian won 10-0 over the Muleskinners in a game that was over at halftime. ... Monarch sophomore forward Jordan Maska was injured in the 15th minute, and did not return. Maska collided with a Nickerson defender after taking a shot in the box, and fell to the ground. The ambulance rolled out onto the field, but Maska limped to the bench. Coach Wellbrock said Maska had a right shin injury, and his status for Saturday's game was uncertain. .... In addition to Kang not starting due to illness, senior Woo Kim, a starter on the back line, was sick and did not play. ... Senior defender Cody Hageman, another starter, did not play Tuesday or Thursday, and will miss Saturday's match, due to violation of school policy. ... With the Monarch junior varsity team in a tournament in Wichita Saturday, only 15 Monarchs will dress for the varsity match in Hays.

TMP 7, Nickerson 0

Nickerson (5-5) 0 0 -- 0

TMP-Marian (4-4) 4 3 -- 7

First half

TMP -- Mayers, 6th minute.

TMP -- Wellbrock (Nietling), 9th minute.

TMP -- Kang, 29th minute.

TMP -- Mayers (Rico), 37th minute.

Second half

TMP -- Kang (Wellbrock), 50th minute.

TMP -- Kang (Dreiling), 54th mnute.

TMP -- Choi, 73rd minute.

Goalkeepers -- Smith, Nickerson; O'Brien, Reif, TMP. Saves -- Smith 13; O'Brien 0, Reif 0.