After getting blanked by Delta in an 8-0 loss in its opener on Saturday, the Montezuma-Cortez soccer team erupted for eight goals of its own on Thursday.
Hosting the Bloomfield Bobcats at Johnson Field, the Panthers struck just 10 minutes in when senior Jesus Ruiz broke away for the game’s first goal. Six minutes later, the home squad increased its lead to 2-0 after a give-and-go between Kolby Waltman and Manny Martinez ended in a Waltman goal.
Head coach Sean Fitzgerald said after the game that he thought his team’s defense sparked its offense.
“I think it started with our defense,” he said. “We played a lot better, and that picked everyone up and our offense moved for each other, played as a team and passed the ball pretty well.”
The Panthers scored twice more in the half. First, Ruiz punched in a beautiful pass by Juan Para from point-blank range to go up 3-0, and then after Bloomfield got on the board in the 33rd minute, Martinez tacked on a penalty kick to go to the break up 4-1.
The Panthers stayed hot to start the second half, moving the ball around quickly to find quality opportunities.
Martinez scored through traffic in the box just five minutes into the second, and two minutes later Para sent a rocket that ricocheted off the crossbar and into the goal to put the Panthers up 6-1.
“The first 20 minutes of the second half was amazing,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s the best I’ve seen this program play for quite some time.”
The Bobcats got another goal in the 46th minute to trim the gap to 6-2, but later, a shot by Obed Simental sailed just out of the Bloomfield keeper’s reach and into the net to push M-CHS back up by five. And then, in the closing minutes of the contest, a corner kick by Waltman floated over the defense and Ruiz finished it off, scoring his third goal of the game as the Panthers won, 8-2.
Fitzgerald pointed to Ruiz, Martinez and Skyler Yarbrough – the Panthers’ three captains – as major factors in the win. Ruiz had a hat trick, Martinez had two goals and two assists and Yarbrough assisted on a goal and helped get the Panthers in transition.
But the six-point victory was a total team effort.
Freshman goalkeeper Davian Robinson played 50 minutes and finished with five saves, and then freshman Tegan Whiteskunk finished out the game and had a save of his own.
The Panthers also got major contributions off the bench.
Freshman Alden Adams made his impact felt immediately after subbing in with beautiful lob passes up field leading to good looks in transition, and Justin Gray and Matt Decker provided energy and physicality on the defensive side of the ball.
“We’ve got great guys off the bench,” Fitzgerald noted. “That’s the thing, we’ve got guys willing to come in and take varsity spots. So it keeps the varsity on their toes, but when they get their chance, they’re going to prove it. Justin did really well for us, and Matthew Decker and Alden, they all did really well.”
The Panthers (1-1, 0-0 Southwest Soccer League) hope to keep their momentum rolling on Tuesday when they host the Bayfield Wolverines (0-0, 0-0 SWSL) for their league opener.