With a large roster turnover due to graduation, bumps in the road are expected early on for the Mason County boys’ soccer team.
In their season opening 6-1 loss to Rowan County on Tuesday night, defensive lapses in the final third were the issue.
The Vikings netted three goals in a two-minute span in the closing minutes of the first half to build a 4-0 lead by the break and steal all of the game’s momentum.
“We had some good chances early I thought, but just couldn’t put them in the back of the net, keeper made some really good saves keeping us off the board. I think our defense played well overall, limiting shots and that kind of thing. Really happy with that and once we turned it on it really got going well,” Vikings coach Max Hammond said.
A young back line that was missing one of its key components to it in Ryan Skaggs, the Royals had their issues in the final half, some guys on the field seeing some of their first varsity action.
“We just didn’t have a lot of discipline in the back four or the back five. There were a lot of guys trying to be overly aggressive and sometimes when you do that you make the big mistake that allows the ball through,” Royals coach Daniel Forsythe said. “Same thing when they’re in the 18, if they’re already that deep you absolutely cannot stab at the ball and make any defensive errors. You just have to be disciplined back there. Must just be the excitement from the first game of the season, everyone wanted to go 150 percent.”
A stellar first 30 minutes from Royals goalkeeper Andrew Moore kept the game scoreless as the half neared, collecting a handful of saves, some of them of the diving variety.
“His first 30 minutes were the best I’ve ever seen him play. He only had one mental error really and one I don’t think he’ll repeat it. Double-digit saves are things we don’t want to see with our defense. If he has to make a save then that’s an error, we shouldn’t allow them to get shots on goal,” Forsythe said.
Chase Alderman was able to get the first of his two goals in the 33rd minute with a shot from his left.
The floodgates would open from there, Aaron Smart getting the first of his two goals on the night in the 36th minute, Will Carlisle adding one a minute later followed by an own goal from the Royals to suddenly make things 4-0.
Alderman made it 5-0 out of the half in the 44th minute, Smart 13 minutes later to make it 6-0.
“We’ve got another guy up top there in (Blake) Mullen too. They play really well together, those three. We’ve got a couple of other guys that play really well on the outside when we get in attack and that’s just what we look to do,” Hammond said.
Hayden Leet got the Royals goose egg off the scoreboard in the 68th minute, collecting a loose ball off the keeper’s hands and finding the back of the net.
It gives the Royals (0-1) something to build on and with just one scrimmage under their belt entering Tuesday night’s season opening contest, some other things to work on as they head into their next game Thursday at home against Scott.
“Definitely stuff to build upon and recognize our issues. For the majority of the game I was able to pick out the biggest gaps in our play. We couldn’t get the ball out of our final third, there was just so much green in between in the middle that we did not occupy. Flat in the back, flat in the front, you’re never going to possess the ball or maintain any kind of possession,” Forsythe said.
The Vikings open 1-0 and face consecutive 61st District seed games in their next two contests on Wednesday at Menifee County and Tuesday at Fleming County.
VIKINGS 6, ROYALS 1
ROWAN COUNTY — 4-2 — 6
MASON COUNTY — 0-1 — 1
Goals: RC — Alderman 2 (33’, 44), Smart 2 (36’, 57’), Carlisle (37’), Own Goal (38’) MC — Leet (68’)
Records: Rowan County 1-0, Mason County 0-1
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