Sam Capps (14) moves the ball for the Hawks.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Triton’s varsity boys soccer team shook off a tough Tri-County Six 3-A Conference loss in PKs at Union Pines Wednesday by routing visiting non-conference rival Midway 9-0 on Thursday.
“We wanted to get the ball down on the ground, pass it around and work,” said Triton coach Brian Foster. “They’re a little beat up and a little shorthanded. It’s been hot. So, we wanted to make the ball work and not our legs. We’re coming off of a long, double overtime, PK loss last night, so we wanted to try to be able to save our strength. We were able to get a couple of early goals to set the tone. Cristian (Delcid) had to make a good early save. They pressed at times and were dangerous on the break a couple of different times. We were trying out some different defensive combinations, so it put us a little suspect a couple of times, but we were able to cover each other enough and seemed to pull it off.”
Senior Arthur Torres had a hat trick, scoring three goals to lead the Hawks (6-6-2).
Nathan Hill and Julian Serrano had two goals apiece. Benny Villalvazo had one goal and one assist. Landon Arnold had one goal. Carson Smith had two assists. David Mencia, Daniel Olivares, Francisco Martinez and Spencer Herring had one assist apiece.
“They’re looking for each other,” Foster said. “They want to assist. They want for their teammates to score that maybe haven’t scored. They’re looking for seniors and things like that in advantageous positions. It’s nice to see as a team.”
Senior Cristian Delcid and junior Logan Pope played one half apiece in goal to combine for the shutout. Delcid had two saves and Pope had one.
Triton tallied five goals in the first half. Torres had two and Villalvazo, Hill and Arnold had one apiece.
Serrano had two goals and Hill and Torres had one apiece in the second half. Serrano’s second goal ended the game on the nine-goal rule with 13:07 remaining in the second half.
Both teams return to conference play against a county rival on Monday. Triton plays at Harnett Central and Midway (4-8-1) travels to East Central 2-A Conference foe and defending 2-A state champion Clinton (7-4-2).
“We don’t play to the level of our competition anymore,” Foster said. “We play to our own level and we think that we’re good enough to beat pretty much anybody that we play. When we get the ball on the ground and pass it around and don’t try to be overly cute, but actually share the ball and play good soccer, we’re as good as anybody that we play.”
Taft Stevens (1) clears from the defensve end for Triton.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Triton keeper Logan Pope throws the ball out on Thursday evening.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Christian Delcid boots the ball away for the Hawks.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Triton’s Julian Serrano challenges Alex Torres (7) of Midway.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Nathan Hill of Triton moves the ball on Thursday night.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Triton’s David Mencia advances the ball against Midway.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Benny Villalvazo looks to go on the attack for the Hawks.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Arthur Torres (7) had three goals for Triton in a 9-0 win over Midway.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Keeper Logan Pope takes possession for Triton.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Triton’s Arthur Torres (7) battles Midway’s Henry Godinez.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Kevin Ochoa (4) of Midway controls in Thursday night’s match.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Nathan Hill looks to create on the attack for Triton against Midway.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Taft Stevens of the Hawks intercepts a throw-in with a header.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Christian Delcid was in goal for the Hawks in the first half.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
