NEWPORT- The Tigers boys soccer team picked up their second win of the year on Thursday evening with an impressive offensive display at home against the Mount Royal Knights, picking up three goals each half on their way to a 6-3 win. Even more important for Newport is that this win has proved the team has improved over the year and has given head coach Caleb Godwin a good feeling that the program is headed in the right direction.
“We are on the right track to improve our game,” said Godwin. “We are making great progress and each one of the kids gives it their all. I am very proud of how far we have come and it shows what Newport can do.”
It was all Tigers early on. The first goal of the game came from Newport’s Mason Martell off a long goal-kick from Ben Gallagher. Next, Cooper Skarin made a defender fall with a dribble and made a nice touch-pass to Joe Bolieiro, who finished with a nice shot on the left side to give Newport a 2-0 lead midway through the first half. With 13 minutes left in the half, Skarin scored on a free kick just outside the 18 to put the Tigers up 3-0 going to halftime.
On Skarin, coach Godwin said, “He’s one of my most reliable players. Him and [Gallagher] in the middle… they know how to distribute, pass, and move around. I have Skarin lined up with Bolieiro and they know how to read each other. They are an anchor for our team.”
Mount Royal began the second half with momentum on their side. The Knights’ Anthony Mihaly scored on a free kick just a couple minutes into the half and moments later, Johnny Klucinec put in a nice lob shot over Newport’s keeper. And just like that, MR was right back into it, down 3-2.
Then, the combination of Bolieiro and Martell took over the game for Newport down the stretch. Nine minutes into the second half, Bolieiro scored again for the Tigers, this time off a corner kick by Martell. A few possessions later, Martell scored on a one-touch strike from the right side that found the upper left-hand corner of the goal. Bolieiro scored again off an assist from Martell to secure his hat-trick and round out the Tigers’ scoring on the day.
Mount Royal’s Mihaly added a goal with three minutes left to make the final 6-3.
The six goals for the Tigers Thursday matched their entire season output over the first eight games. On the way his offense looked, Godwin said, “The passing looked much better… the touch-and-go’s… they’re showing me what we’ve been working hard on every day. We had a lot of chances… a lot of crosses. Our strikers were there all game.”
“We have had severe improvement… I can’t be much happier,” continued Godwin. “There is still room to grow, but going from where we were to where we are now… much more competitive.”
The Tigers currently have eight juniors, along with a few more underclassmen on the roster, and are looking forward to a large group coming up from the middle school next year. Soccer clinics being run with the middle schoolers have Newport hoping to add a JV team in the near future, which will only help develop the program further.
Newport’s record moves to 2-6-1, with both of their wins in 2018 coming over Mount Royal. The Tigers return to action on Monday as they host Pittsfield at 4:30 p.m.
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