The Pinkerton Academy boys’ soccer team didn’t spend a lot of time stewing about its recent 2-1 Mack Plaque loss to the Londonderry High Lancers, instead choosing to buckle down and get right back on the winning track with a lopsided victory in Manchester early last week.
Coach Kerry Boles’ PA crew handed the struggling Manchester Memorial Crusaders (2-7 record) a 5-1 defeat on their own field last Tuesday, Sept. 30 to up its Division I record to a very strong 6-3-1.
The match was knotted up at 1-1 when the two contingents adjourned for halftime, but Pinkerton potted four unanswered tallies in the second half to claim the pleasing victory.
Standout veteran Alex Ebner bagged two goals and assisted on one other, Chris Ronan was good for two helpers, Trevor Morrison, Kyle Hicks, and Stuart Graves each snared single goals, and Colin Coutts contributed one assist.
Pinkerton goalie Hayden Pavao made one stop his contribution to the win, and the Astros peppered the Memorial cage with no less than 18 shots.
And the academy boys began this week’s play in Derry on Monday by claiming a victory they were expected to notch over a struggling Spaulding High team from Rochester.
Boles’ bunch bagged two goals in the first half and one more in the second to deal the visiting Red Raiders their tenth consecutive loss in a 3-0 match.
Ebner potted the first of the goals a mere 21 seconds into the match (assist to Cobi Moore), and he made it a 2-0 game on an unassisted tally.
The third goal was added by Chris Ronan on an assist from Sean Donohue with just a minute left in the contest.PA keeper Pavao only had to make one save in contributing to the shutout victory.
The Astros were paced by senior captain Kyle Hicks and juniors Colin Coutts and Stuart Graves. But Boles still has his concerns about his crew as the season flies along.
“Even though we are finding ways to win, we are struggling with scoring goals,” said Boles. “This is very concerning with the big games we have remaining on our schedule. This will be a difficult five-game stretch to end the season. On the flip side, if we can find a scoring touch, we can make a great run entering the post-season.”
