NEW MARKET — Eighty minutes.
Southmont boys’ soccer used every tick of the clock Monday in a come-from-behind win over the Sheridan Blackhawks, 3-2, to start the season 1-0.
Senior Hunter Gray was the hero for Southmont. Gray drove the ball within a few feet of the goal with two defenders on him and hit the game-winning goal with 14 seconds remaining on the clock. Gray was all smiles after the game.
“It was so awesome,” Gray said. “My adrenaline was pumping for sure. It was so fun with everyone surrounding me after the goal.”
Much of the first half was spent on Sheridan’s end of the field. The Blackhawks struck early taking a 2-0 lead with goals within the first minute and then again about halfway through the first half. Southmont senior goalie Marshall Little had his hands full with five saves in the first half.
“I was a little worried after our start to the first half,” Gray said. “We had a really good talk at halftime and came up with a good plan for the second half.”
The second half was mostly all Mounties. Senior Samuel Becerril put the Mounties on the board with a successful penalty kick about seven minutes into the second half. Gray tied up the game with the Mounties second goal around the 17-minute mark. Senior goalie Paul Hazlett had some tremendous saves on the goal as Sheridan was trying to break the tie-game.
First-year Mountie coach, Ben Razo, was all smiles after the game and pleased with his team’s fight.
“This feels good, especially after our rough start,” Razo said. “This team plays well together. I’m excited for the season.”
Southmont was on the road Tuesday at Central Catholic in Lafayette. The Mounties will take on Monrovia on Saturday at home.
