Searcy gets the jump on Greenwood

CLASS 6A BOYS SILOAM SPRINGS 3, GREENWOOD 0

SILOAM SPRINGS — Searcy’s boys soccer team punched its ticket to a second-round meeting with top-seed Siloam Springs with a 3-0 shutout victory over Greenwood on Thursday in the opening round of the Class 6A boys state soccer tournament.

Searcy made a strong showing in the first half, scoring a goal 10 minutes in and netting a second goal nine minutes later. Greenwood came into the second half with renewed life, recording three shots in a row, but the Bulldogs were unable to find the back of the net.

“All season long, we have not been a first-half team,” Greenwood Coach Andrew Post said. “We let too much go in the first half.”

Searcy’s first goal came after a stretch pass downfield bounced over Greenwood’s back line, where striker Johan Mottu collected the ball and sent a shot across senior goalkeeper Aric McKinney and into the top left corner of the goal.

The Lions found the top left corner again when Joseph Oliver received a pass out of a scrum at the top of the goal box with 22 minutes remaining in the half.

Searcy dominated the scoring chances in the opening half, outshooting the Bulldogs 11-6. Most of Greenwood’s shots came from tough angles and longer distances, as the Bulldogs struggled to maintain pressure in the attacking zone.

“I kind of pumped them up a little bit to come out and start this state tournament. Probably the most complete game we’ve played all year,” Searcy Coach Walter King said. “When we can put together a full game and can score, you know, we can be a threat.”

The Lions withstood a late Greenwood push and added a second-half goal off an Oliver penalty kick, his second goal of the day.