JDHS boys complete sweep of visiting Lathrop
- Klas Stolpe
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Athletic Crimson Bears showcase skills in 2-0 win over Malemutes
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys soccer team completed its sweep of the visiting Lathrop Malemutes with a 2-0 win Thursday on the Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park pitch. The Crimson Bears had defeated the Malemutes 5-0 on Wednesday.
“I think most importantly we didn’t give up a goal for the week,” JDHS coach Gary Lehnhart said. “So we are happy about that. This time of year it is good to put teams kind of behind you in the standings. It makes it so you don’t have to chase, and that is kind of important.”
JDHS took control of the game early in the first half as they outshot Lathrop 6-1 with Junior Sam Mazon, sophomore Troy Edgar, and seniors Kevin Flores-Lopez and Noah Ault all getting chances. With 30 minutes left to play in the first half Mazon found space and scored for a 1-0 advantage, assisted by Flores-Lopez.
With 10 minutes left in the first half freshman Imanol Vera worked hard under pressure to put a crossing pass through the box and Mazon hit the highlight shot of the season with a bicycle kick from 15 yards out for the 2-0 lead.
“It was just a great shot,” Lehnhart said.
JDHS sophomore Bryce Haygood received the team’s Lunch Box honor.
“He did a lot of little things,” Lehnhart said. “Just all over the field. I thought Elliot (Welch) was really good too, just cleaning up things in the middle of the field. And just a beautiful goal by Sam (Mazon), a beautiful goal… One of the things we like to do is the little things that win games, and not make mistakes, and not be selfish. When you really look at this team it is very inexperienced. Very few players have a lot of time on the field at a high level. So we are growing into it and it takes time.”
Haygood also took three shots, two were on the Lathrop goalkeeper’s domain.
“I feel great,” Haygood said. “It always feels great to win an award. I don’t know if I deserved it with Sam’s amazing bicycle kick, but I will definitely take it. It is a great feeling...He (Gary) just said I covered a lot of ground and did a lot of little things. It is a surreal feeling to win it.”
This year’s JDHS team seems to be extremely fast and physical across the entire length of the pitch, yet has established a team-first mentality.
“It can be kind of hard actually to adapt to,” Haygood said. “But once you have played the game for so long you start to listen and look at the ball and see what is going on. It is second nature to me at this point. Just figuring out what is going on and knowing that the decision I am going to make next has to be in my head before I get the ball.”
Mazon tallied seven shots in the game, four on goal. Sophomore Troy Edgar took two shots, one on goal. Flores-Lopez and Vera each took one shot. Juniors Erik Thompson and Ibrahima Diouf had one shot on goal apiece.
According to JDHS statistics, senior Jesper Bennetsen and Diouf had 12 steals apiece, senior Elliot Welch nine, Haygood seven, Ault five, junior Ethan Van Kirk, Vera and Thompson four each.
Sophomore Callen Walker had three saves in the box through the 80 minutes. Bennetsen and Diouf played 80 minutes apiece, Haygood 71, Mazon 70, junior Maddox Carroll and Welch 60 apiece, Flores-Lopes 54, T. Edgar 53, Vera 51, Ault 50, Van Kirk 46, freshman Elijah Edgar 33, freshman Andrew Koverdan 30, Thompson 22, senior Kaiden Odenheimer 20, junior Tullitsiaq Reimer 10, sophomore Jayce McDonald eight, and senior John Melancon two.
“I don’t think we had as much energy today,” JDHS coach Lehnhart said. “I think we got up, and sat back. And that is not going to work down the road. But we are in a good place, so I should feel good about that. And we will see if this team grows into it. We have some strong challenges coming. West Valley will be really talented, and Colony will be coming here and they are really good. So we have got a lot of work to do.”
JDHS improves to 3-0-1 overall and 2-0 in the RBC. The Crimson Bears have tied the Cook Inlet Conference Chugiak Mustangs and defeated Chugiak 3-1. Lathrop is now 1-3 in the RBC. The Malemutes have also lost to Colony 2-1 and defeated Wasilla 2-1.
JDHS next faces West Valley (2-0 RBC, 6-4 overall) on Wednesday and Thursday in Fairbanks and hosts Colony (1-1-1 RBC, 3-1-1 overall) on May 8-9. Wasilla (0-2-1 RBC, 1-4-2 overall) is at the bottom of the conference.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
