Eagles post two wins, yet to be tested

By Bruce Wallace

For a team that started the season thinking they might be lacking on defense, the Eagles soccer team has been showing plenty of muscle on the defensive end.

The Eagles girls soccer team took advantage of an early-season schedule of two of their district tournament opponents and showed both who would be the favorite for the district title later this spring.

That would be the Eagles – who blanked both Fulton and St. James in dominating fashion last week. SoBoCo has started the season 4-0-1. They have not allowed a goal in the first five games this season – 400 minutes of soccer.

The Eagles defeated Fulton 7-0 in their home opener and then easily routed St. James 6-0 on Thursday. The Eagles scored two goals inside of two minutes of the first half to take a 3-0 lead en route to an easy 7-0 win. Junior Kate Ponder got the Eagles first goal just before the 5-minute mark when she headed a beautiful cross from Koyia Prince into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, the Hornets goalkeeper mishandled a shot and a crowd of Eagles swarmed the ball and Ponder knocked the ball into the net. Fulton could not get their offense started as midfielders Kylie Shoot, Lauren Gateway, Savana Johnson and Ellie Lacy dominated every 50-50 ball and kept SoBoCo on the offensive end of the field. Karyn Griffin got SoBoCo’s third goal of the first half with a beautiful 20-yard direct kick that zipped over the Fulton keeper’s head and into the goal.

The Eagles were against the steady north wind in the second half – but that made no difference as their offensive attack continued with four additional goals. Ponder, Griffin and Prince had two goals each, Omni Flint had the other goal. In the win over St. James, Ponder and Prince each had two goals for SoBoCo. Skyler Beeson and Carsyn Morris tacked on a goal each and Katy Andrews had the shutout. SoBoCo will take on an unbeaten Father Tolton team on Monday, April 3 at Tolton and then travel to Kirksville and the Parkview Tournament next week. Eagles coach Chris Miller says his team has yet to be tested.

“It is a combination of both our midfield and defense that has played well,” Miller said, “and we have had possession of the ball most of the time.”

Miller said the competition will be stepped up the next two weeks as the Eagles face tough competition in Springfield, against Hickman and Fatima on April 11.