Effort, energy and intensity

Every loose ball had a player wearing red going after it. Every Brave had two red jerseys trapping them when they got the ball. Every play featured multiple red jerseys hustling.

The Jay County High School boys soccer team brought the intensity in its 3-1 win over the Bellmont Braves on Thursday.

Jay County coach Bobby Ruiz gave the guys a pregame speech urging them to bring a high level of intensity and give it their all while they are on the field, regardless if they are a starter playing all 80 minutes or coming off the bench just to give someone a break.

“I said, ‘If we play the way we played (against Richmond), with that intensity, we can achieve,’” Ruiz said. “‘If we put that together, the way we know our teammates with that intensity we can achieve it. I want you to come out with intensity and we can do it.’”

It was a message well received.

Every player stepped out onto the pitch with the intensity Ruiz was asking for, and it resulted in the Patriots dominating the first half.

Kaleb Coppock wanted to save every shot that was taken. 

Gavin Young wanted to stop every Bellmont forward that attacked Jay County’s side of the field. 

Brayden Collins wanted to blow up every play during which the Braves tried to get a through ball.

Alan Ortiz wanted to win every 50/50 ball that the goalies kicked into the midfield.

Dylan Marentez wanted to keep possession of the ball every time Bellmont sent multiple defenders at him.

Levi Muhlenkamp wanted to put pressure on the Braves and steal the ball away every time the defenders tried to retreat and regroup.

Many more players put forth that level of effort as well, and it resulted in a lopsided match in which the Patriots dominated control of the ball while Bellmont’s players and coach got more and more frustrated with each other.

“Honestly, we played about as poorly as we possibly could have and it showed,” Bellmont coach Derek Trobeck said. “We don't play the style of play we played tonight. We decided to divert to their style of play and we won't be successful (without) playing our style again.”

While Ruiz was impressed by the effort from all of his players, the play of Gavin Young stood out to him.

Young was a key part to a defense that only allowed Bellmont to take four shots on the goal and kept the ball near the Braves’ goal for most of the match.

“We all support each other, always coming back to help when someone gets turned around or something,” Young said. “It’s all about working together.”

Marentes was Jay County’s offensive catalyst. Every goal that was scored came through him in some way.

He delivered two perfect passes for assists and scored another goal himself.

Marentes scored his goal just over 22 minutes into the first half. As he brought the ball up field, Belmont sent a total of five different defenders at him, all of which he found ways to dribble past to get a clean look at the goal. From there he took an open shot that got past goalie Parker Frietas for the score to put the Patriots up 2-1.

His first assist came less than five minutes into the game. With 35:53 in the first half, Marentes lined up for a corner kick. On the kick, he found Muhlenkamp, who headed the ball in to tie the game.

“I usually see Levi (Muhlenkamp) and he’s one of the best ones using his head,” Marentes said. “When I see him, I try to aim the ball at the very far back where he usually is. … I’m just natural to it and I send it there.”

Ten minutes into the second half, Marentes delivered his second assist. Marentes gained control of the ball just beyond the midfield line, when he kicked it high and forward to Aryan Montes who ran it down to send in the score for extra insurance.

The only goal Jay County gave up was on a through ball as Andrew James assisted Daniel Vogel with 36:46 left in the first half.

The mistake didn’t hurt the Patriots too much, as they soon found their confidence and took control of the game.

“I was expecting a harder game, to be honest,” Ruiz said. “When we saw they weren’t as hard as we thought, we got confidence and were able to move the ball around. We knew it was doable.”