Bulldogs Blank Hearts, Area Soccer Roundup

Effingham St. Anthony hosted Effingham in soccer competition Tuesday evening and blanked the Hearts 3-0.

"It was a very hot evening to start play," said St. Anthony Coach Eric Morales. "Everyone has been used to the wonderful weather and we have been spoiled in the last few weeks.

"The crosstown rival game is always a big game in every sport. It started out well, a very aggressive game, which all were expecting.

"Effingham came out very quick and slipped a couple passes through, almost finding the back of the net. Ten minutes in, we began to get into our rhythm and slowly break open Effingham's defense a little at a time. We controlled much of the first half, putting eight shots on goal, trying to test Hearts' keeper Jared Minor, but we were unable to find the back of the net. The Hearts' Brady Jackson had a few shots on goal but was also unable to connect.

"With four minutes left in the half, James Kabbes fired a rifle of a cannon on a throw in to find Ryan Kruger on the opposite end of the goal and finished with a nice back head ball into the goal.

"In the second half, the Hearts came roaring out, almost scoring on two different occasions to quickly to start the second half. We quickly gathered ourselves and controlled the rest of the game. With 20:44 left in the second half, Andy Saba took the ball on a breakaway down the side and put in a cross to find James Kabbes who just used his chest to bump the ball right in. Then with 7:43 left in the game, Moises Lemus took a running ball and was able to quickly find Kruger on the run. Kruger then found the back of the net."

Effingham's Jared Minor had 12 saves and St. Anthony's Nick Grunloh had seven.

"Both keepers did a swell job," said Morales. "It was a team effort tonight, the whole team stepped up and played very, very well as a team and as a whole."

St. Anthony is now 4-1 and plays Thursday at home against the Olney Tigers. Effingham dropped to 1-3-1 on the saeson and will host Vandalia Thursday.

At Altamont

Mattoon blanked Altamont 6-0 in action Tuesday. The Indians drop to 1-4 on the season.

The Green Wave tallied at the 19:35 mark, then again at 9:37 and 5:05 in the opening half. In the second half, Mattoon scored at 22:33, 15:37 and 8:03.

Altamont had seven shots, four on goal. Childerson had 13 saves. Mattoon had 32 shots, 19 on goal and four saves.

In junior varsity action, Mattoon was a 7-0 winner. Altamont had six shots, one on goal. Jacob Lucy had six saves. The Indians fall to 1-1.

At Teutopolis

Charleston came calling and edged out a 1-0 win over Teutopolis. Jon Beck had six saves for the Wooden Shoes who took 13 shots.

In junior varsity play, T-town was a 1-0 winner over the Trojans. Jarrett Hardiek scored the goal as T-town took 12 shots. Shawn Zerrusen had four saves.

At Newton

Pana captured a 4-0 win over host Newton Tuesday.

Rhett Zahradka, Jake McLeod, Reide Beyers and Logan Dameris had a goal each for the winners. Jack Epley had 15 saves. The Panthers are 4-0 on the season.

Newton's Nick Cohorst had eight saves.