Soccer Squad Mercy Rules Belle

Freshman Zeke Weddle (5) pursues the ball in last week’s varsity match at Belle, while Jackson Fischer (12) and Sam Rueter (16) provide support. Southern Boone won by a score of 8-0

By: Todd Pridemore
The Southern Boone soccer team made the scenic, one-hour drive to Belle Tigers (2-4) last Tuesday afternoon. Belle has struggled to field a team in recent years, and last week played with only two subs on their bench.

The Eagles were clearly the superior team throughout the contest, which ended in a mercy-rule, 8 goals to none victory for SB. The opening minutes of the contest featured several off-sides calls against the Eagles, and multiple shots by Eagles players on the Tigers goal.

The first eight SB shots were all either saved by the Belle goalkeeper, or flew wide of the net. But the 9th opportunity of the match finally put Southern Boone on the scoreboard, when freshman Miles Butler shot from the right side of the box and found the far post for the score.

A few minutes later, Butler again scored when he linked up passes with sophomore Titus Pridemore for a give-and-go that Butler easily converted. Butler then became the facilitator when he passed the ball off to Brayden Watson in the box, where Watson converted to make the score 3-0.

The Eagles added on an additional goal before halftime when senior captain Drew Dial sent a well-placed through ball behind the Tigers defensive back line. Butler ran onto the ball and put it in the net.

In the second half, Alejandro Pagoada served up a nicely placed free kick to the back post, where junior Blake Nichols found the ball and cleanly headed it into the net.. Freshman Ayden Hernandez then added the 6th score of the match when he converted a rebound opportunity. Another freshman, Sam Rueter, provided an assist for a goal to Pagoada that the senior converted at close range. The contest was immediately ended when Nichols scored the 8th and final goal.

Southern Boone goalies were not challenged much during the shortened contest, but senior Emery Arnold kept the clean sheet in the first half while junior Jack Columbo did the same in the second period. The win moves the Eagles overall varsity record to 6-4 on the season.