MORGANTOWN – In a crucial time of the season when the MHS boys’ soccer team are needing to find its true identity, the Mohigans scored six goals and held the Patriots scoreless. Senior captain James Percifield netted a hat trick for MHS on Tuesday, and the Mohigans scored from three set pieces.
Coming into the game, Sam Snyder and his defending state champion side had only allowed four goals to opponents. However, they only produced four goals themselves through that time.
It didn’t take long for the offense to come alive for MHS (3-2-2) against the Patriots, as the first came just seven minutes into the first half. A low strike from an MHS attacker found the back of the net and the lead was 1-0 to the hosts.
Possession would be controlled for most of the half my the Mohigans, and many chances to score would result. Midfielder Joel Beeson had two quick chances on goal on shots from outside the box, but the both sailed just over the crossbar.
With under 10 minutes to play until halftime, MHS would break through the Patriots’ defense again. Percifield got his first of three goals on a blast from 25 yards away that found its way into the back of the net.
A third Mohigan goal would be tallied just three minutes later after a pass back to the Patriot keeper slipped through his hands and into the net.
MHS nearly doubled its goal total on the season in the first half on Tuesday night, and coach Snyder knows that with a tough stretch of games coming up in the next two weeks, finding a way to play a complete game is important.
“We have been trying to find an offense for six games now,” Snyder said. “We scored more goals tonight than we have all season. We’ve been working hard, set pieces are a big thing for us, three goals off of that tonight. For James to get unleashed tonight and find his quick turns and quick shots, that’s what we want to see from him.”
Percifield earned his second goal just ten minutes into the second half on another hard shot, this one to the near post that beat the keeper.
His third would come at the 22 minute mark off of the second half on a header from a cross into the box, completing his hat trick and giving his team a 5-0 lead. Aiden Stire added a sixth on a free kick that was blasted through the hands of the PSHS keeper.
With ten minutes to go and the score at 6-0, the game was all but over. The Mohigans earned a huge win going into the next few weeks of the season, where they will play four games in the next eight days.
MHS will travel to Linsly for its next game on Thursday for a 5:30p.m. kickoff.
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