Huntley controls Hampshire
Huntley didn’t exactly score in bunches, but the Red Raiders scored throughout the game, defeating Hampshire 7-1 in Fox Valley Conference crossover boys soccer action in Hampshire Thursday.
Lucas Baker scored a hat trick and added an assist to lead the Red Raiders (7-0).
Huntley started relatively slowly getting only Eduardo Gonzalez’s goal, off an assist from Angel Sanchez, in the first 25 minutes. Jakub Rys and Baker added goals later in the half to make it 3-0 at the break.
“I didn’t think we moved the ball well for the most part,” said Huntley coach Kris Grabner. “It got a lot better in the second half. The first half was real slow. I don’t have an explanation for it, but they started moving the ball a lot better in the second half.”
When that happened, the goals started coming more rapidly. Less than 2 minutes into the second half, Jaime Quintana scored on a bullet from more than 30 yards out. Baker scored twice more three minutes apart, and Aaron Koterbski added the Raiders’ final goal with about 6 minutes to play.
Danny Rodriguez got Hampshire (0-4-1) on the board, sending a shot into a vacant net with just over 3 minutes left.
Auston Emery just missed the shutout in the net for Huntley.
“It’s difficult,” said Hampshire coach John Gosling. “It’s a struggle. It’s frustrating. We’ve got a good group of boys, that we are gonna work. We’re gonna compete, and we’re gonna do the best we can. We’re figuring out who can play where and who can’t play.”
Andy Peterson (14 saves) and Cesar Esparza (3 saves) split the goaltending duties for the Whip-Purs.
Rys scored a pretty goal, on a header off Christian Ramos’ corner kick.
Manuel Menjivar and Niko Mihalopoulos added assists for Huntley.