MIDDLETOWN — Even the losing team had something to boast about in Middletown”s 7-4 victory over Clear Lake in North Central League I varsity boys” soccer action on Tuesday in Middletown. After all, each team had a hat trick.
Middletown”s Jason Candelario and the Cardinals” Matt Stegman each scored three times, matching each other almost shot for shot as the two rivals battled it out. The Cardinals (0-7) were trying for their first win of the season while the Mustangs (4-5) snapped a three-game-losing streak.
“We turned up the intensity a whole bunch,” Middletown coach Lee Hoage said of his team”s five-goal outburst in the second half. “I told them (at the half) we had to control the midfield and have a hunger in the box. We did and it showed.”
The Mustangs scored four times in the first 30 minutes of the second half as they kept the ball pushed up into the Cardinals” half of the field time and time again, mostly with short chip shots to the front or a run down the wings.
Cesar Rodriquez opened the half by taking a ball from Myles Moffat and putting it into the front of the net past Cardinal keeper Daniel Gregorio. Ten minutes later Candelario nailed his second goal of the game when he headed the ball into the far corner of the Clear Lake net on another perfectly placed corner kick. He gained his hat trick a scant seven minutes later off a William Phelps pass for a tap in.
Nolan Tkachenko also found the net during Middletown”s near 20-minute scoring frenzy off a Rodriquez pass to the front.
“We had them matched (during the first half) and just lost the momentum,” Clear Lake coach Brian Figg said. “I thought we could pull it off (our first win). You have to give it to them (Mustangs), they played well.”
Stegman picked up two of his three goals during the second half as the Mustangs started feeding substitutes into the game. His first came off a penalty kick, the result of a hand ball in the box that went against the Mustangs. The second goal he blasted past freshman keeper Nick Speridon.
The Cardinals went ahead 2-1 in the first half, countering Candelario”s opening goal of the match, a rocket from 15 yards out off a chip pass by Jake Fromer. Stegman countered a feed from Jorge Reyes, firing a shot past Mustang keeper Tyler Madsen”s outstretched arms. Ivan Sanchez”s penalty kick three minutes later snapped a 1-1 tie.
Middletown tied the game up in the closing minutes of the half as Nick Reed scored with a Phelps assist.
Middletown plays at Upper Lake on Thursday, while Clear Lake travels to Fort Bragg.
