JANESVILLE After scoring two goals in the opening minute of the game, Janesville Craig ran away with a 10-1 victory over crosstown rival Janesville Parker on Tuesday night.
The Cougars (5-9-0) scored early and they scored often, racking up a season-high 10 goals in the victory. Three of those goals came from senior captain Danny Soria, while several other Craig players were able to find their way into the scoring column.
Today was a perfect chance for us to showcase our individual skills, work on our technique and work on our teamwork, Craig head coach Hiqmet Dauti said. Today was also the perfect opportunity for guys to get in and get minutes that dont normally get in for us. We had four or five guys get their first goals of the season, which is pretty stellar too.
The Vikings (0-12-1) on the other hand struggled to find their footing throughout the matchup, though sophomore captain Jarren Richmond was able to net Parkers lone goal of the night late in the first half.
The team didnt quit, which is always a good thing, Parker head coach Jason Bier said. Were looking to build off of each and every game. The important question is always when you get down a couple goals, how are you going to respond? We responded by getting one back, and thats a positive we can take moving forward.
Right from the opening kick the Cougars were looking to make a statement against their crosstown rival.
Jagger Oas found the foot of Danny Soria on a cross, with Soria finding the back of the net to make it 1-0 just 20 seconds into the game.
30 seconds after that, Soria would log an assist to Cristiano Manzanilla-Rodriguez to put Craig ahead 2-0 less than a minute into the game.
The Cougars would net another two goals over the opening 10 minutes, with Chris Rivas hitting an upper-90 free kick and Oas tucking in an unassisted goal to put Craig ahead 4-0.
Hayden Chapman then got involved with a pair of assists in the 21st and 30th minutes. The first goal came off the foot of Rivas, while the second was a screamer by Brayan Martinez Lopez.
Craigs final goal of the first half came in the 34th minute on an Anton Meco header off of a corner kick by Martinez Lopez.
Despite the score, the Vikings still found the energy to catch the Cougars off guard right before the half with Anthony Ruiz Gutierrez finding Jarren Richmond on a counter attack. Richmond snuck the ball past Craig goalkeeper Willian Alvarez, and Parker was on the board.
Heading into halftime, it was 7-1 Janesville Craig.
Much like the first half, it didnt take long for the Cougars to strike early in the second. This time just 24 seconds into the half, Danny Soria punched in a rebound chance to put Craig ahead 8-1.
The second half also saw starting goalkeeper Willian Alvarez play up top alongside Soria, while Isaias Ayala checked in to close out the game in net for Craig.
Alvarez even got involved as a field player, and eventually notched as assist in the 49th minute when he found Soria to help complete his hat-trick on the night.
Craigs final goal came off another rebound, this time by Ryan Walker in the 56th. Now leading 10-1, the Cougars milked the last few minutes off the clock to secure the 60-minute mercy rule victory over the Vikings.
Eli Mosley once again kept the score much tighter than it couldve been, logging 14 total saves for Parker. Alvarez, meanwhile, finished his evening with two saves. Backup goalie Ayala did not record a save in the second half.
The Cougars are aiming to keep their momentum going right into a Big Eight Conference match on Thursday, October 1, when Craig will play host to Madison La Follette (4-4-1, 1-3-1 Big Eight) at 7:00 p.m.
The Vikings, meanwhile, will be looking ahead to Saturday, October 3, when they host non conference foe Luther Prep (5-4-1) at 11:00 a.m.