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Photos by: Kenneth Armstrong
ELIZABETHTOWN – East Bladen’s unbeaten Eagles blitzed Scotland with 3 goals in the first 2 minutes and 5 goals in the first 5 minutes en route to an 11-0 non-conference men’s soccer victory Thursday night.
Seven different players scored, and nine different players earned assists for East Bladen.
Senior Jacob Barber picked off the third Scotland pass following the kick-off and knocked it to senior Brooks McGill who worked into the 18 yardline and found freshman Garrett Melvin streaking down the backside. Melvin finished with a one-touch shot from 4 yards out.
That goal came in the first 15 seconds. The Eagles stole a pass on the next kick-off, and McGill found junior Greyson Heustess who fired in the second goal from 5 yards out.
Garrett Melvin scored his second goal and the Eagles third in the first two minutes from 7 yards out off of another feed from McGill.
Sophmore Gabe Barber tapped in a ball off of a corner kick by sophmore Jake Evans for a 4-0 lead. Gabe Barber won the ball following the goal and played it to McGill who knocked in the fifth Eagle goal.
After a foul in the 12th minute, junior Irvin Hernandez directed a quick kick to junior Pierce Melvin who found the back of the net from 7 yards out for a 6-0 East lead.
The Eagles scored again in the 23rd minute. “Jake and Brooks ran one of our plays off of a corner kick and Jake was able to hit a hard left-footed shot past the keeper,” said Eagle Coach Jake Evans.
Pierce Melvin knocked in his second goal of the game in the 32nd minute. Senior Caleb Hatchell took a pass from McGill, beat the Scotland backline and sent a hard shot past the keeper for a 9-0 lead.
McGill rang up two goals in the final 4 minutes of the half to complete his personal ‘Hat Trick’ of 3 goals in the first half. Garrett Melvin assisted on the first of those goals in the 36th minute, and sophmore Milton Estrada was credited with the assist on McGill’s final goal.
“Putting 11 goals in the net was not done to embarrass anyone,” stated Coach Raynor. “We were focused, flying around and making plays. The boys had their heads up and were looking for each other. They were a team tonight and they turned Scotland’s first 3 mistakes into goals.”
“After the first 15 minutes we were able to move players into positions and give us some different looks,” continued Coach Raynor. “Milton was able to get some big minutes with the varsity tonight. We were finding the seams and beating their backline.”
Junior goalie Spencer Scott only had to make one save in the game and it came late in the half.
“I was extremely pleased with the way we played and how we brought our training to the game,” concluded Coach Raynor. “Scotland just caught us on a great night for us. They worked hard and didn’t give up. We need to improve on perfecting our set pieces and getting more fit.”
The Eagles, now 4-0, open Three Rivers Conference play Monday night when they host St. Pauls.
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