September 13, 2019 at 2:10 a.m.
Gavin's goals lead Jay
JCHS sophomore Gavin Muhlenkamp nets first career hat trick in 5-1 Patriot win
Gavin's goals lead Jay
Copyright 2019, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
Growing up and playing travel soccer together, Gavin Muhlenkamp, Cristian Marentes and Gio Perod fed off one another offensively.
As they got to high school — Perod first, the other two a year later — one part of the trio was missing.
Muhlenkamp didn’t play as a freshman.
The gang’s back together now, and they’re flourishing. Muhlenkamp made up for lost time in his debut at home.
Muhlenkamp recorded his first career hat trick in powering the Jay County High School boys soccer team to a 5-1 victory against the winless Blackford Bruins on Thursday.
“It feels pretty good,” Muhlenkamp, a sophomore, said of his first career three-goal game. “I know I couldn’t have done it without the team and they supported me through it.”
The sophomore forward has five goals in his last two games and now shares the team lead with Marentes.
“He was timid at the beginning of the season,” said JCHS coach Brad Horn, whose team has won three straight games and is now 5-2 after six consecutive road contests to start the year.
Muhlenkamp’s first of the night came in the 27th minute. Perod beat a Blackford defender to a through ball down the right side of the field and centered a pass toward Muhlenkamp, who reached out with his left foot to tip the ball past Bruin goalkeeper Gabe Foster.
The second tally came following a throw in late in the second half. Brayden Sprunger hurled the ball in from the right sideline, and Muhlenkamp followed it toward the net and tapped it in for a goal to put Jay County out front 3-1.
He completed the hat trick in the 77th minute on a penalty kick after getting fouled in the 18-yard box. Muhlenkamp said he saw Foster creeping toward his left — Muhlenkamp’s right — so he went to the lower left corner to finish off his first three-goal game.
Muhlenkamp began the year without recording a measurable statistic in five consecutive games. After propelling the Patriots to a 3-1 win Tuesday over sectional rival Yorktown with a pair of goals, the sophomore said his recent scoring surge is a product the team gelling together.
“I think we’re just getting more comfortable playing with everybody,” he said. “Since not all of us have been playing together for a few years we’re just kind of feeling how everyone is playing and playing more as a team.”
Perod recorded his third goal of the season by hitting a loose ball in front of the goal into the twine in the 49th minute to give Jay County a 2-0 lead. He also had an assist.
After Blackford ended the shutout with a goal in the 63rd minute, Sprunger, who also had an assist, got his first goal of the season on a corner kick. He lofted the ball from the right corner with his right foot, and it took a path no more than two meters off the end line. Foster got his hands on the ball but wasn’t able to catch it cleanly and it bounced over the line for the goal.
The second-half offense was bound to come eventually as the Patriots started slowly and got stronger as the game went on.
“To begin the game we were just getting outplayed,” Horn said. “That’s what it was, just getting outplayed the entire time. It was a little frustrating to start with.
“Three goals, you can see what Gavin Muhlenkamp can do for us. (Marentes), didn’t record as many stats tonight but still dominated the midfield. Alex (McFarland) was doing a good job for us.”
Jay County’s defense was solid too. Blackford’s tally came on a bouncing ball JCHS sophomore goalkeeper Ian Ruiz misplayed. But Ruiz ended with six saves as the 10 players in front of him didn’t give the Bruins too many opportunities.
“I’m happy with how they played,” Horn said. “They always work hard. They’re always going to be a group that works hard for me.
“There is room for improvement but they will improve.”
Jay County has its best record through seven games for the first time since 2009. Horn was a senior on that team, which later went on to win the program’s third sectional title.
“It’s important for them to see we’re 5-2,” he said. “It’s been a while since Jay County soccer has been 5-2. I hope it builds our confidence.”
All Rights Reserved
Growing up and playing travel soccer together, Gavin Muhlenkamp, Cristian Marentes and Gio Perod fed off one another offensively.
As they got to high school — Perod first, the other two a year later — one part of the trio was missing.
Muhlenkamp didn’t play as a freshman.
The gang’s back together now, and they’re flourishing. Muhlenkamp made up for lost time in his debut at home.
Muhlenkamp recorded his first career hat trick in powering the Jay County High School boys soccer team to a 5-1 victory against the winless Blackford Bruins on Thursday.
“It feels pretty good,” Muhlenkamp, a sophomore, said of his first career three-goal game. “I know I couldn’t have done it without the team and they supported me through it.”
The sophomore forward has five goals in his last two games and now shares the team lead with Marentes.
“He was timid at the beginning of the season,” said JCHS coach Brad Horn, whose team has won three straight games and is now 5-2 after six consecutive road contests to start the year.
Muhlenkamp’s first of the night came in the 27th minute. Perod beat a Blackford defender to a through ball down the right side of the field and centered a pass toward Muhlenkamp, who reached out with his left foot to tip the ball past Bruin goalkeeper Gabe Foster.
The second tally came following a throw in late in the second half. Brayden Sprunger hurled the ball in from the right sideline, and Muhlenkamp followed it toward the net and tapped it in for a goal to put Jay County out front 3-1.
He completed the hat trick in the 77th minute on a penalty kick after getting fouled in the 18-yard box. Muhlenkamp said he saw Foster creeping toward his left — Muhlenkamp’s right — so he went to the lower left corner to finish off his first three-goal game.
Muhlenkamp began the year without recording a measurable statistic in five consecutive games. After propelling the Patriots to a 3-1 win Tuesday over sectional rival Yorktown with a pair of goals, the sophomore said his recent scoring surge is a product the team gelling together.
“I think we’re just getting more comfortable playing with everybody,” he said. “Since not all of us have been playing together for a few years we’re just kind of feeling how everyone is playing and playing more as a team.”
Perod recorded his third goal of the season by hitting a loose ball in front of the goal into the twine in the 49th minute to give Jay County a 2-0 lead. He also had an assist.
After Blackford ended the shutout with a goal in the 63rd minute, Sprunger, who also had an assist, got his first goal of the season on a corner kick. He lofted the ball from the right corner with his right foot, and it took a path no more than two meters off the end line. Foster got his hands on the ball but wasn’t able to catch it cleanly and it bounced over the line for the goal.
The second-half offense was bound to come eventually as the Patriots started slowly and got stronger as the game went on.
“To begin the game we were just getting outplayed,” Horn said. “That’s what it was, just getting outplayed the entire time. It was a little frustrating to start with.
“Three goals, you can see what Gavin Muhlenkamp can do for us. (Marentes), didn’t record as many stats tonight but still dominated the midfield. Alex (McFarland) was doing a good job for us.”
Jay County’s defense was solid too. Blackford’s tally came on a bouncing ball JCHS sophomore goalkeeper Ian Ruiz misplayed. But Ruiz ended with six saves as the 10 players in front of him didn’t give the Bruins too many opportunities.
“I’m happy with how they played,” Horn said. “They always work hard. They’re always going to be a group that works hard for me.
“There is room for improvement but they will improve.”
Jay County has its best record through seven games for the first time since 2009. Horn was a senior on that team, which later went on to win the program’s third sectional title.
“It’s important for them to see we’re 5-2,” he said. “It’s been a while since Jay County soccer has been 5-2. I hope it builds our confidence.”
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