The Juneau-Douglas boys soccer team played as the aggressor in their crosstown conference win over Thunder Mountain on Tuesday night.
In their 2-0 win, the Crimson Bears dominated possession of the ball and pressured the Falcons’ defense the entire game. Senior Will Hoover scored just 12 minutes in the match after a nice setup by senior Kanon Goetz, and junior Koby Goldstein added another goal from senior Jackson Norberg in the 42nd minute.
Juneau-Douglas Shay McCormick, left, takes a shot against Thunder Mountain’s Wallace Adams during their game on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
The win evened the season series between the Juneau high schools. Thunder Mountain defeated Juneau-Douglas for the first time in school history less than a week prior to Tuesday’s game, and had won five of six games this season. JDHS, meanwhile, after starting the season 0-1-4, had won its previous two games coming into the match, both by just one goal.
[Photos: JDHS, TMHS boys soccer teams face off]
“We said after the first one (against Thunder Mountain), ‘Let’s not get too upset about this,’ and after this one we said, ‘Let’s not overreact to this,’” JDHS coach Gary Lehnhart said. “But we played well, and that’s what we really want to look at: ‘Are we playing well?’”
Juneau-Douglas’ Ronan Davies, left, takes a header against Thunder Mountain’s Wallace Adams during their game at TMHS on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. JDHS won 2-0. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
“Jake (Marnon) had a great game in the back and so did the rest of our defense and Jackson and the offense got going a little bit more tonight,” Lehnhart added. “We played more fluidly I thought.”
The Falcons generated some momentum for themselves midway through the second half, but their shots denied by goalkeeper Tad Watson. On a shot from Logan Miller, Watson jumped back and toward his left post, punching the ball out of harm’s way, before pulling off a similar stunt on Jake Babcock’s free kick.
Thunder Mountain’s Wallace Adams, right, blocks a shot by Juneau-Douglas’ Koby Goldstein during their game at TMHS on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. JDHS won 2-0. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Marnon said the Crimson Bears were more focused this time around against Thunder Mountain.
“I think it was more of a mental game for us today,” he said. “We needed to play more as a team, and we definitely did that today. Lots of linked passes.”
Juneau-Douglas’ Jackson Norberg dribbles around Thunder Mountain’s Elias West during their game at TMHS on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. JDHS won 2-0. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Across the valley, the JDHS girls recorded their 10th shutout third against TMHS on the season. A week after defeating the Falcons 5-0, the Crimson Bears took it to Falcons again, winning 6-0. Senior Malia Miller had three goals and one assist and Taylor Bentley, Michaela Bentley and Eva Goering each had one goal apiece. Brianna Jokerst had two assists in the victory.
All four JDHS and TMHS soccer teams play one game against Soldotna this weekend. The JDHS girls and boys play the Stars on Friday at 5:15 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Field. The TMHS girls and boys take on Soldotna on Saturday at noon and 1:45 p.m., respectively, at TMHS.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com. Follow Empire Sports on Twitter at @akempiresports.
