Trojans conquered (08/23/06)

Same players, different team.

Jay County's boys soccer team responded to last week's loss to Muncie Central with an energetic effort Tuesday for a 4-0 victory over the New Castle Trojans.

"That's my team," said JCHS coach Alan Bailey, whose team beat the Trojans for the first time in his tenure. "They've heard all season long, they know that's how they're capable of playing. ... If they play at this level, the sky is the limit.

"It was a total effort. Practice all week has been about being aggressive and winning balls. ... This week we went after every ball like we wanted it. And that makes all the difference in the world."

Mason Shreve led the effort, posting a hat trick before Chase Ainsworth scored the Patriots' final goal.

"I just got pumped up today," said the senior after he and his teammates handed New Castle its first loss of the season. "I was able to pick up what was left. Scott (Bruggeman) had a heck of a ball to me for the second one."

Shreve's job for Jay County (1-1) this year is to push up the field, stay as close to the goal as he can and clean up any rebounds which might come his way. And he did it to perfection against the Trojans.

His first score came 14 minutes into the game, just as planned. A Patriot shot was saved by New Castle goalie Laith Denney, but Shreve picked up the rebound. He sent a laser from the left side back toward the goal, which Denney seemed to wrap up with a diving save. But when the goalie hit the ground the ball popped out and into the right corner of the net for a 1-0 Jay County lead.

Shreve struck again late in the first half when Bruggeman sent in a perfect pass from deep on the right side. The ball went straight to Shreve in front of the goal and he re-directed it past Denney with 3:30 left on the clock.

The third score came from a jumble in front of the goal after a long indirect kick from Luke McClung. At least one Patriot try was rejected, but as Shreve and Kyle Laux battled with a couple of New Castle defenders the former got his head on the ball to complete his hat trick.

"He's what we call a 'fox in the box,'" said Bailey. "He's pushed up in that box ... so he can get trash shots. He had two of them tonight and then one well-played ball from Scoot."

Bailey, whose team didn't even score against New Castle (3-1-1) last season, went heavily to his bench in the final 20 minutes of the game. Ainsworth added the Patriots' fourth goal and first of his career with 17:36 remaining, and back-up goalie Kevin Dirksen finished off the shutout for starter Derek Mills.

The goal keepers were aided heavily by sophomore Trey Dunn, who moved to sweeper after playing in the midfield in the season opener.

"Jay County moved the ball well," said New Castle coach Jacob White. "I think that was probably one of the best Jay County teams we've ever seen. They played well. They worked the ball well.

"And we were just kind of flat. We didn't contain. We just kind of sat around and let them have their way."

The Trojans struggled to get anything going on the offensive end, counting heavily on junior Isabel Cautle to create scoring chances. White implored the team throughout the game to work the ball up the field instead of constantly playing the ball long.

"We got out of our style of play," he said. "We came out flat and just played flat all game. When we went down early we just kind of gave up and started worrying about being down too much instead of staying disciplined and playing our style of soccer. That hurt us in the long run."[[In-content Ad]]