The Siloam Springs boys soccer team didn't waste time to put away Alma on Tuesday in a 5A-West Conference match.
The Panthers came out aggressive and scored all seven of their goals in the first 23 minutes to take a 7-0 mercy rule victory over the upstart Airedales at Panther Stadium.
Coach Luke Shoemaker said he encouraged the Panthers to dictate the game from the opening kick, and they did just that.
"I told them before the game, the worst thing you can do with a team like Alma, who plays hard, very physical, is to give them hope by letting them stick around," Shoemaker said. "So I told them, let this be a game where we come out with a little more intensity. The last few games we've come out flat, so coming out and putting goals in the back of the net in the first five (minutes) I think helped with the outcome on the night."
Senior forward Eli Jackson scored the game's first goal off an assist from Christian Marroquin in the fifth minute of the game on his way to recording his second hat trick of the season.
Julio Maldonado scored off a Jackson assist exactly 56 seconds later to give Siloam Springs a 2-0 lead.
With 28:03 remaining in the first half, the Marroquin to Jackson connection came through again for another Siloam Springs goal for a 3-0 lead, and Jackson assisted another goal to Maldonado for a 4-0 lead with 26:26 left in the first half.
Marroquin was fouled hard in the 18-yard box with 20:06 left in the first half, and Jose Posada scored the ensuing penalty kick for a 5-0 lead.
Jackson scored his third goal of the night off a Miguel Granados assist with 18:46 left.
Danny Daughtery slipped a pass ahead to Franklin Cortez for the Panthers' final goal with 17:52 remaining, however Cortez suffered a head injury on the play and may have to miss several weeks.
Senior goalkeeper Wyatt Church was not called upon to make any saves against the Airedales, who are in their first year of playing varsity soccer.
Greenbrier 2, Siloam Springs 0
GREENBRIER -- The news wasn't so great for the Siloam Springs boys down at Greenbrier on Thursday night.
Greenbrier scored a pair of second-half goals and handed Siloam Springs its first 5A-West Conference loss in a battle of Panthers.
A late start to the girls game also led to a later start for the boys game. Greenbrier's first goal came off a ball that ricocheted off a player from 35 yards out.
Greenbrier (7-2, 2-1 5A-West) added an insurance goal later in the half.
Siloam Springs (6-3, 2-1 5A-West) was shutout for the third time this season.
Up next
The Siloam Springs boys are off this week for spring break. The Panthers return to action at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, at home against Greenwood.
Sports on 03/17/2019