Mustangs Win One, Lose One
After a slow start in the McDonald County High School soccer team’s first-ever home game, the Mustangs battled the Carl Junction Bulldogs even over the final 55 minutes, but couldn’t overcome the bad start in a 3-1 loss on Sept. 1 at the Loyce Shellnut Soccer Field.
“It’s just amazing,” said coach James Carter of the atmosphere for McDonald County’s first home game. “I came down here last night and just walked the field by myself. It just gives you chills and the same for the kids. We had great support. The band was here and all that stuff probably made them a little nervous. To have the support from the community and the administration and everybody coming together is unique. It doesn’t happen everywhere – it happens in McDonald County.”
A large home crowd was stunned when Carl Junction’s Keegan Peters scored on an assist by Connor Niemeyer in the first minute of the game.
Just a couple of minutes later Carl Junction nearly added to its lead, but McDonald County goalie freshman Arturro Morales was able to deflect the ball just enough to have it hit the crossbar.
Carl Junction did score its second goal in the 26th minute on an unassisted goal by Gavin Page.
“We’re young,” Carter said of the slow start. “We start six freshmen. There are some growing pains, but they have gotten so much better since the first game. Carl Junction is a good club and this year it was a much closer game than last year.”
McDonald County settled in from that point on and controlled the rest of the first half. The Mustangs continued holding the advantage to start the second and capitalized in the 50th minute when Alfredo Sanchez pounced on a loose ball and knocked it into the back of the net.
McDonald County had a couple of shots to tie the game, but Carl Junction scored an insurance goal on a header by Niemeyer in the 73rd minute on an assist by Bryce Sherwood.
Morales finished with eight saves while the Mustangs had four shots on goal.
Carter credited Jeobany Marcos with creating a lot of McDonald County’s offense.
“Jeobany is just a freshman and he is fast and works hard,” Carter said. “I thought he did great. Alex Garcia is a senior and his leadership is so valuable.”
McDonald County falls to 2-3 for the season heading into its Sept. 6 game at Greenwood Laboratory High. The Mustangs are at Monett on Sept. 8 and at Pittsburg, Kan., on Sept. 12 before returning home on Sept. 15 to face Carthage. The Greenwood game begins at 4:30 p.m. and
all others are 5 p.m. starts.
Riverton, Kan.
Eh Doy Say scored two firsthalf goals to lift the McDonald County soccer team to a 4-0 win over Riverton, Kan., on Aug. 30 at Riverton High School.
Say’s first goal was unassisted at the 23rd minute. The freshman added a goal in the 35th minute with an assist by Jose Rodriguez.
Four minutes later, Rodriguez gave McDonald County a 3-0 halftime lead on a penalty kick that was awarded when Johann De La Cruz was taken down in the penalty box.
The Mustangs’ final goal came in the 61st minute on a goal by Jeobany Marcos on an assist by Dylan Allison.