| Austin Dalton takes one of Carbon’s 26 second-half shots on goal. His barely missed, but three other Dinos sent the ball on into the net to give the Dinos a 5-2 victory over Grand High School Saturday afternoon. |
Finishing up pre-season play, the Carbon Dino soccer team put two more in the win column this week. First up they outlasted South Summit for a double overtime 1-0 victory. Then they took revenge on Grand for an earlier loss with a 5-2 triumph.
The Dinos have not dominated their opponents in any first half this year, and the South Summit game was just more of the same. Both teams took about the same number of shots on goal and neither team could punch it in.
Carbon was playing with out their first string goalkeep, Jake Malone. In his place was Austin Dalton and his play was as solid as Malone’s. By the second half of play, the Dinos were out shooting South Summit, but even then, could not get one to penetrate.
The first overtime period still left the game at a stalemate. But in the second overtime, Joe Munoz sent the ball in on a long free kick and Dalton had his first shutout.
Saturday was a chance for Carbon to even up the score with Grand who handed the Dinos their first loss of the season earlier. The Dinos managed two first half goals. Beau Morley sent in the first goal and Jose Munoz stuffed in the second.
Even though they were leading 2-0, Coach Clifford still felt like it was anyone’s game and told his team that as they gathered round during the break. Malone had held off all seven shots on goal from Grand in the first half.
In the new Dino tradition, the boys from Carbon buckled down in the second half and began to dominate the play. They took 26 shots to four from Grand. The Red Devils did get on the board with a goal that a Dino defender inadvertently helped in as they tried to clear the ball. Later Grand also got a score on a free penalty kick.
The Dinos never let Grand take the lead. Scott Potter sent in a goal for Carbon in the second period of play. After Grand pulled it to 3-2, then sophomore Fernando Mendoza sent one in and finally Andrew Gomez put the icing on the cake with a shot to bring the score to 5-2.
Clifford had nothing but praise for his team, “It was fun to play a really good team. Grand has been playing good soccer and our team came back and beat a good team who had beat them earlier.” He is really happy with the fact that they had five players score in the effort. “We are showing that we are playing as a team. We also held their (Grand) best player, who has scored 13 goals in seven games, scoreless. I think we believe we are ready to play in one of the toughest regions in 3A and hold our own”
Now for the games that count. Carbon hits the road and heads to play the ever tough Delta Rabbits, April 4. They will be home for two the following week against Juan Diego and North Sanpete.