PEARL RIVER — Franklinton allowed three goals over a five-minute timeframe in the second half, turning a 1-0 deficit against Pearl River into a 4-0 deficit, and that was the final score in Tuesday’s road game.
Franklinton trailed 1-0 at halftime, but Pearl River scored three goals between the 50th and 55th minute.
Just 10 minutes into the second half, Ethan Martenson made a perfect crossing pass to Gabe Danton, whose header found the back of the net to make it a 2-0 game.
Three minutes later, Danton tallied once more into the upper left of the goal and it was 3-0.
Pearl River upped its lead to 4-0 on a penalty kick by Blaine Bourgeois in the 55th minute for the game’s final goal.
“Part of what we’re trying to do — coach (Jason) Smith and I — is to change the culture here in terms of soccer,” Franklinton coach Nate Murray said. “It’s difficult to play a high-quality opponent and to maintain focus for a whole match for guys who aren’t accustomed to playing at a high level for (80) minutes.
“I’m proud of these guys. I really felt like, for the most part, practice-wise, they’ve been buying in. But at some point, as young men, they’ve got to take ownership of the outcome and we’ve got to practice at a higher level, we’ve got to execute at a higher level. They’ve got to, again, take ownership of it and believe in what coach and I are stressing to them. But I definitely feel like we’re moving in the right direction and that things are on the up-and-up.”
Murray praised his goalkeeper Keaton Catrett, who was tough in net, and had some difficult saves to make.
Murray said Catrett played an excellent game.
“I felt like we really challenged him (Monday) at practice. I felt like I called him out and I challenged him at practice,” Murray said. “He’s a freshman. He’s never played keep. The kid’s got a ton of potential just as a person. He’s an incredibly athletic kid, but I basically called him out and I challenged him to play well tonight and I really felt like he did.
“He was put in a couple of tough situations with some goals that their guys made some excellent shots on, but I really feel like the kid’s understanding the position and making some really good, quick decisions. It is a really tough position to play.”
Neither team had many good scoring opportunities over the first 10 minutes.
Pearl River took a few shots that were not on frame, but in the 18th minute, the Rebels had a free kick just outside of the box.
Danton passed it to Dylan Beard, who scored on a shot to the upper part of the next and Pearl River led 1-0.
Franklinton had some scoring chances late in the first half and put the shots on frame, but Bourgeois made the saves to keep his team in front 1-0 at halftime.
The Demons had some chances in the second half, but were unable to tally.