MORGANTOWN — Caden Carpenter’s hat trick led Morgantown High to a convincing 5-0 victory against Brooke on Tuesday in the first round of the Region I, Section 1 tournament at Pony Lewis Field.
Despite a deficit in technical skill and experience, Brooke (9-9-2) utilized a sagging defensive shape and some aggressive marking to keep Morgantown (12-6) from producing many quality scoring chances in the finishing third.
But the Mohigans found an especially effective mode of attack with long balls to space down the right side that connected time and again with the mercurial Carpenter.
The senior striker converted his first chance in the fourth minute, sprinting past the defender, racing in under control, and tucking a right-footed pass-shot across goal into the opposite corner.
Seven minutes later, another deep but overambitious MHS pass was retrieved by the Bruins defense inside the 18.
However, a hustling Carpenter forced a turnover, dribbled away from net, then spied fellow senior Jonah Forinash roaring in, who stepped into the soft pass and bombed a right foot bullet under the keeper to double the Mohigans’ advantage.
Perfectly bookending his first tally with four minutes remaining in the half, Carpenter again burst free down the wing, ran onto a through ball, and this time used his left foot to bury his finishing touch from 10 yards out.
Despite trailing by three, an inspired Brooke side produced 20 minutes of strong soccer from the start of the second half, maintaining stretches of midfield possession and manufacturing several reasonable scoring chances — and one very dangerous floating ball that was speared by MHS keeper Carter Cave just in front of the crossbar.
MHS was unable to counter more than a scant handful of times, with no high quality chances to show at the end of their infrequent forays.
But, speed can’t be taught, and is so often lethal, and Carpenter proved it one final time in the 75th minute.
A little flick past a defender at midfield turned into a 50-yard run, which he finished with a lovely shot into the opposite corner from 12-yards out. A minute later, junior James Percifield picked up a pass at the top of the box and crushed a right-footed shot past the keeper for the final score of the match.
After the match, Carpenter revealed that communication and connection was the key to his big night.
“We all know each other so well,” he said of his midfield and defender teammates. “Sometimes it’s just a look, and they know I can get a step on a guy. And I feel very confident on the ball in scoring areas, so I know I have time to keep my head up, see what the keeper is giving me, and then I just need to finish it.”
Despite his team’s less intense second half, MHS coach Sam Snyder knows that the final margin wasn’t important — just the win.
“We were very sound in the first half, I thought,” he explained. “Brooke presses very hard, so we were able to take advantage of that with some longer balls into space, but we also built up well. In the second half, we didn’t quite match their intensity, but we also played a smart game. We kept our shape and cleaned things up in the back very nicely.
“All year long we’ve generated numerous chances, but had trouble scoring,” he continued, “but tonight, we had fewer opportunities, but produced clinical finishes. And that’s what you need to do in the playoffs against good teams. We didn’t play our best against Wheeling Park (a 2-0 defeat), and we’re really looking forward to the chance to play our best against them.”
Trinity 10, Magnolia 0
Five players scored for Trinity in its shutout win against Magnolia in the Region I, Section 1 tournament.
The third-seeded Warriors built an early 3-0 lead, as sophomore Carmelo Kniska scored the first three goals of the game.
Senior Gabe Turak also scored three goals while freshman Brock Shuba netted two.
Kyle Knight and Charles Steptoe each added a goal.
The Warriors (11-5) recorded assists on eight of its 10 goals. Sophomore Carter Hartsock, Knight and Shuba each had two assists.
The shutout was Ben Lohmann’s eighth of the season, as he made three saves in net.
Trinity Christian will now travel to Wheeling Central on Thursday night in the sectional semifinals.
