The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
13 goals over the weekend
by Than Acuff
The West Elk Soccer U19 boys team rattled off 13 goals over two games this past weekend to take down both Roaring Fork and Gunnison.
Roaring Fork battled to a 2-1 win over West Elk earlier this season but with a full squad and a handful of practices under their belts, West Elk came at Roaring Fork at full strength on Saturday, April 27 to cruise to a 5-2 win.
The two teams muddled through scoreless soccer in the first half with West Elk playing directly into a stout wind. But once the two teams switched sides, West Elk made use of the prevailing winds to open the scoring two minutes into the second half. Nathan Miller pushed forward from his defensive position to take a pass up the flank and crossed it into the six-yard box for Cedar Fessenden to flick it past the Roaring Fork goalie. Fessenden netted a second goal but Roaring Fork converted on two set plays and the teams were notched in a 2-2 tie 16 minutes into the second half.
West Elk then took it from there as Fessenden scored off a set play from Henry Bryndal. Dagan Schwartz then threaded a pass through to Fessenden for his fourth goal of the game and Chris Myers capped the attack with a rebound goal to seal the 5-2 win.
West Elk headed back to Gunnison on Sunday, April 28 to face Gunnison and rolled to an 8-0 win. Fessenden scored his fifth goal of the weekend to start things off three minutes into the game. Myers then found Ethan Bacani open inside the 18-yard box with a cross and Bacani scored. Twelve minutes later Schwartz flicked a shot past the Gunnison goalie and then added his second goal of the game off a cross from Bryndal. Goals from Myers and Schwartz later in the half had West Elk on top 6-0 at the half.
The team settled into cruise control for the second half and Gunnison showed some spark at times to penetrate the attacking third but Darshan Narayana and Eric Lain each found the back of the net for West Elk to close out the 8-0 shutout.
West Elk heads back to Gunnison on Thursday, May 2 for another showdown with Gunnison. Kick off is at 5 p.m.
