LEWISBURG (WVDN) – The Greenbrier East Spartans men’s soccer team has gotten off to as good of a start as coach Lucas Lemine could have hoped.
East has started 3-0 and have not allowed a goal yet, with all three wins being shutouts.
Last weekend they defeated Buckhannon-Upshur 5-0, then faced the Oak Hill Red Devils on Wednesday and took home a 7-0 victory. They capped the week at Parkersburg on Saturday, Aug. 27 with a 1-0 victory over a really good Big Reds team.
Everyone is standing out and playing together early in the season.
Against Buckhannon-Upshur, Chase Mizia got a hat trick with three goals. Adam Seams and Dawson Trusty scored the other two for the Spartans.
Things got dominant against the Red Devils in game number two. Luke Dolin had the hat trick in that contest with three goals.
Cayden Midkiff, Ryan Wagner, Andrew Holt and Seams each put one into the net as well.
The defense has been so good for East that goalkeeper Joe Cochran did not even record a save in the first two games because that stout defense did not allow a single shot attempt.
Nick White, Seams, Trusty, Jason Ream, Nixon Brown, Parker Hill, Jacob Grim, Holt, Will Godby and Drew Beverage make up the defensive unit.
Things were tougher against Parkersburg, but Wagner’s assist to Dolin was good enough for the Spartans to remain undefeated.
Cochran recorded four saves and had an extraordinary game in front of the net.
Lemine praised the Big Reds and noted how great of a win it was for his team.
“Parkersburg was very athletic and very physical. We battled for 80 minutes. It was a good step forward,” Lemine said.
Lemine was also thrilled with the season’s opening week altogether.
“Opening week went as well as we could have dreamed. Three-0 for the varsity and keeping three clean sheets. Finding small things to improve upon and actually making the improvements, seeing the kids doing what they are asked. It’s been excellent,” Lemine said.
Things only get tougher from here forward, and Lemine knows his team is ready, but also knows the challenges that lie ahead as soon as this week.
“(We’ve got a) tough week ahead,” Lemine said.
“Princeton on Thursday in Mercer County is never easy and may be the most difficult place in the state to play for our program. We don’t win at their place often. We’re traveling to University on Saturday. The last two years against them the game has been decided, literally, in the final kick of the game with both games going in our favor. Tough week. We are looking to build upon our success and clean up the small things,” he concluded.
The JV team is also starting well.
They opened up Wednesday, August 24 with Oak Hill and won 4-0.
Cesar Hernandez had two goals, Jose Martinez got one and Henry Martinez had one. Both junior varsity goalies, Dubya Vickers and Echo Carpenter, registered two saves each.
JV also won 5-3 at Parkersburg after trailing 2-0 at the half. Hernandez had four unassisted goals. Keny Isaguirre recorded his first goal of the season.
Stay tuned for East soccer recaps throughout the season.
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