Cyclones blank Volunteer in non-conference clash
Published 1:27 pm Friday, April 12, 2024
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclones' Luke Whaley (17) drives a header past Volunteer's Cameron Cox (8) early in the first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclone goalie Tucker Taylor (84) makes a save on a top-shelf shot by Volunteer early in the first half Thursday evening.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclone Will Churchill (11) uses his body to intercept a Volunteer pass midway through the first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclone Drake Teague (13) blasts a shot past Volunteer's Brinley Buchanan (26) midway through the first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclone goalie Tucker Taylor (84) looks to fire a pass downfield after stopping a shot on goal from near midfield midway through the first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclone Will Churchill (11) congratulates fellow senior Riley Vernon (7) after he scored his second goal of the first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Elizabethton's Jonathan Espinoza (1) fires a shot on goal late in the first half during a match against the Falcons of Volunteer High School.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclone Thomas Lambert (8) is tackled from behind by Volunteer's Nolan Amyx (18) just as he's about to take a shot on goal, allowing goalie Jackson McLain (1) to fall on the ball in front of the net.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Elizabethton's Porter Dillow (22) zips the ball past Volunteer's Cameron Cox (8) on a centering pass late in the first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Cyclone Zach Curtis (3) and Volunteer's Diego Mejia (17) collide as both go for a header late in the first half.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
The weather on Thursday evening was cold and raining but the Elizabethton Cyclones soccer squad was red hot. Riley and Reece Vernon combined for six goals as the Cyclones took a 7-0 victory over the Volunteer Falcons at Citizens Bank Stadium.
“These guys are doing what we asked them to do,” Cyclones head coach Doug Schultz said. “We are getting the angles and I saw a wall pass and I like where we are at. They are gaining confidence and the team seems to have gelled.”
Reece Vernon scored in the sixth minute of play as he cashed in a corner kick from Connor Blevins to give EHS a 1-nil advantage. Reece got the Cyclones on the board again in the 15th minute with an assist from Will Churchill.
Riley Vernon took over from there scoring four goals as EHS built a substantial lead and never looked back. Riley scored in the 24th minute and the 27th minute and the Cyclones went into the halftime break with a 4-nil lead.
“This was a nice one, a nice win,” Schultz said. “It was a non-conference game but we are 3-0 in our conference with wins over Crockett, Tennessee High and Unicoi County. Our schedule has gotten a bit mixed up. We had to cancel one game and we ended up playing Tennessee High instead and won that one.”
In the second half Riley Vernon scored in the 45th minute and then again in the 47th minute cashing in a corner kick from Drake Teague as the Falcons goalkeeper stopped the shot but the rebound came right to Vernon who blasted the ball into the Falcons net.
The rain began to come down in earnest at this point and Teague closed out the scoring in the 63rd minute with a low shot to the keepers left hand side.
Boys soccer
EHS 7-0
Volunteer 0 0 – 0
EHS 4 3 – 7
Scoring summary
First Half
E – Reece Vernon (assist Blevins) 6:00
E – Reece Vernon (unassisted) 15:00
E – Riley Vernon (unassisted) 25:00
E – Riley Vernon (assist Churchill) 27:00
Second Half
E – Riley Vernon (unassisted) 45:00
E – Riley Vernon (assist Teague) 47:00
E – Teague (unassisted) 63:00
