EHS Wins Varsity Match, T-town Falls in Red & Gold Soccer Tourney

CHARLESTON -- Effingham blanked Mattoon 2-0 in opening round play at Charleston's Red & Gold Soccer Invitational Wednesday in varsity action at Sister City Parks' Nino Fields.

Junior Tyler Katz went down the field and knocked the ball into the goal with 29:03 remaining in the first half to get the Hearts off in the right direction. He was assisted by Phil Knight.

Katz then nailed an unassisted goal with 9:58 left in the second half to seal the Hearts' victory. The Hearts had 11 shots in the contest while Mattoon had nine.

Goalie Frank Kasdorf had six saves. Effingham's offense held Mattoon's Chase Harvey, who had three goals in a Tuesday game, scoreless.

The contest was the season-opener for the Hearts. EHS will be back in action in the tournament Friday against Charleston at 4 p.m. in varsity play with the junior varsity match to follow against the Trojans at 5:30 p.m.

The Hearts didn't fare as well in the junior varsity match as Mattoon claimed a 3-1 victory. The Green Wave's Rayme Hamilton had a hat trick with all three goals. Effingham's lone goal came from Vicente Olmos unassisted.

Teutopolis came out of opening day by suffering losses in both varsity and junior varsity action.

Elliott Griffin got the only goal Charleston needed in the varsity match and the Trojans won 1-0 over the Wooden Shoes. Griffin converted an assist from Taylor Garrett.

Charleston had nine shots on goal while Teutopolis had six shots, five on goal.

In the junior varsity contest,  Charleston's Reece Bell scored an unassisted goal with just three seconds remaining in the contest as the Trojans claimed a 1-0 win over T-town.

The Trojans had nine shots on goal while the Wooden Shoes had none.

T-town is back in action at the invitational with a 4 p.m. contest Friday against Mattoon in varsity play and the junior varsity match with the Green Wave to follow at 5:30 p.m.