BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood’s men’s soccer team may have ended the Region 4-5A slate on a sour note with a 2-1 loss at Spring Valley Monday, but the Bengals notched sixth region win with a 6-0 shutout of Ridge View on Senior Night Friday.
Before the game, seniors Jason Huse, Carlson Brockwell, Will Monroe, Andrew Davisson, Michael Grieb, and Colby Cheatham were honored for their contributions to the team over the past four years. Seeing the teamwork on the field was fitting for such an occasion, first-year head coach Robby Setzler said.
“They spread it all the way around and Ryan (Hart) does a good job of doing that.” Setzler said. “I was happy to see us get everybody some touches, give a lot of guys some goals. That’s always the goal on senior night is to get a lot of people on the field and we got all 19 on there, and that was impressive.”
Blythewood’s two first-half goals made the difference, Setzler said.
Hart’s goal off of K.J. Blocker’s assist 15 minutes into the game got the Bengals started. Seven minutes later Terry Watson made good on Carson Holt’s corner kick. Holt’s boot drove the ball just past the Ridge View goalkeeper and Watson drove it into the net at close range for the score.
“They (teams) usually don’t fall as easy as you think they’re going to,” Setzler said. “You just have to keep your head down, keep grinding and get those balls in the back of the net, and I was proud of those guys for doing that.”
Blythewood kept pounding away at the second half, keeping the ball in Ridge View territory as it did throughout the first half.
K.J. Blocker made several shots on goal in the first half before striking the net two minutes into second half action.
Ryan Hart then pounded a ball straight off the Blazers’ goalkeeper, but instead of diving on the ball it deflected back to Hart. Hart then powered the ball in at the 24:09 mark of the second half.
Six minutes later, Connor Jackson took a long-range pass from Carson Brockwell and chipped it between the goalkeeper and the right post to make it 5-0 Bengals.
Huse finished off the Blazers with a goal in extra time.
“I was also impressed with the guys that came off the bench,” Setzler said. “The work rate never dropped, the lever never dropped.”
K.J. Blocker scored the only goal for the Bengals at Spring Valley (4-10, 3-4) Monday night.
Despite the Monday loss, Blythewood (10-5, 6-2) remains tied for first with Rock Hill (10-6, 6-2). The Bengals, however, won the tiebreaker as co-region champions and will host a first round playoff match on Tuesday.
“I’m extremely excited,” Setzler said. “A playoff spot’s clinched, and in the first year of coaching that’s extremely difficult to do, and especially this year with only two teams (from each region) going. I’m really proud of the guys and happy to continue this run into May.”
Blythewood has a non-region game against Dutch Fork tonight.