Beach, Adams lift North to win

Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com   

The game started late, but the offense was not for the Madisonville-North Hopkins boys soccer team on Thursday evening. Four different Maroons scored at least two goals as North (2-2-1) defeated Union County (1-3) by a score of 10-1 at Donley Field in a display of offensive firepower. Junior Jake Beach paced the squad with a hat trick. Senior Maarten Adams recorded four assists on the evening.

For coach Jeremy Roach, it was pleasing to see his offense succeed as he has tried many different combinations up front this season.

"I think we're starting to see it," he said. "I don't know that what we have is exactly set, but I think we know who we have to field those spots."

It took just 61 seconds for sophomore Jake Hutchens to begin the scoring.

Junior forward Ethan Crowell tallied his first score of the night three minutes later on assist from Adams. Then, the Maroons offense fell dormant until Zach Yonts found the back of the net when he fired one into the right corner for a 3-0 North advantage with 24:26 left in the first half.

Two minutes passed before Logan Whitfield joined the offensive party. Whitfield received a pass from Adams and beat his defender 1-on-1 to notch his first goal of the night.

Roach said he was particularly pleased with Adams' play.

"So far he's been our leading scorer and when he's not engaged in scoring, at least he's involved in developing those opportunities as well," he said.

With 5:34 left in the half, Whitfield struck again to put North ahead 5-0. Crowell scored a minute later as the Maroons continued to pour it on.

North led 6-0 at the break. Just like the opening half, the Maroons wasted little time getting on the board to start the second half.

Sophomore Zach Yonts tallied his lone goal of the evening at the 38:53 mark. Beach recorded the next two scores with an assist from Austin Walker on the second goal.

Beach said the key to North's success was the team's ability to pass well and get opportunities at the goal.

"We were just crossing it in good and letting people get shots off," he said. "We had 42 shots. Any time you have that, you're bound to score."

Braves forward Corey Alvey erased the shutout bid with 18:23 to go in the contest. North goalkeeper J.D. Lester left the box in an attempt to corral the ball. Alvey slipped past Lester toward an empty net and let it fly.

Beach finished off the scoring with 8:57 left on an assist from Christian Oakley.

Adams said it was nice for the Maroons to settle in offensively before a schedule of difficult games Friday and Saturday.

"Coming into the game, we all knew what it would be like, but it's nice to just come in and have an easy game because we have a tough one (today) with Daviess County," he said.

North returns to action 5:30 p.m. today to play Daviess at the Hopkinsville Boots Butts Classic.

1st half

MNH, 38:59 Jake Hutchens - MNH 1-0

MNH, 36:02 Ethan Crowell - MNH 2-0

MNH, 24:26 Zach Yonts - MNH 3-0

MNH, 22:10 Logan Whitfield - MNH 4-0

MNH, 5:34 Whitfield - MNH 5-0

MNH, 4:25 Crowell - MNH 6-0

2nd half

MNH, 38:53 Yonts - MNH 7-0

MNH, 23:39 Jake Beach - MNH 8-0

MNH, 20:58 Beach - MNH 9-0

UC, 18:23 Corey Alvey - MNH 9-1

MNH, 8:57 Beach - MNH 10-1