Mahomet-Seymour scored the final six goals of the match Tuesday afternoon to pull away for a 7-1 soccer win at Effingham.
After the Bulldogs scored the first goal, the Hearts responded with a goal by Armando Estrada after an assist by Tucker Moeller. But Mahomet-Seymour controlled the match from then on.
“Our first half was pretty strong,” said EHS coach Weston Peno. “Though Mahomet was able to get a few more scores in the first half, we really made them work for it. And we had a few really good looks, but just couldn’t finish.”
The second half was a different story.
“Mahomet controlled the ball a majority of the time,” Peno added. “Our conditioning was just not there and our bench was very shallow. With so many kids injured, we had to get creative in how we played. Moving forward, we will focus on going back to the basics. We’ll concentrate on things like field vision, soccer IQ, clean touches and, most importantly, communication.”
Effingham will travel to Lincoln at Thursday.
Effingham put on quite a second-half rally Thursday.
The Hearts fell short, dropping a 6-4 soccer decision at Charleston, but their effort left their coach impressed.
The host Trojans dominated the first half, taking a 6-1 lead at intermission, but Effingham put on a second half charge to close within two goals and had opportunities to get even closer.
“The first half was slow for us defensively and we seemed disorganized on the field,” said EHS coach Weston Peno. “But I thought the second half was a defining moment for us.
“We went out with our heads up high and a fire in our hearts that changed the course of the game,” Peno added. “We worked hard, ran the ball, possessed it when need and made smart, consistent runs. We did not slow down.”
The Hearts scored three goals in the first 25 minutes of the second half.
Armando Estrada, Bryan Angel, Osvaldo Angel and Josh Bowlin each scored goals for EHS and goalie Brandon Duncan recorded 11 saves.
“Though the outcome was a loss, I am very proud of how our team played in the second half,” Peno said. “With such a debilitating score deficit, many teams would have hung their head and given up. The determination in our team is what really sets us apart.”
The Hearts will host Taylorville Saturday.
Playing their third game in three days, the Effingham soccer team looked a little tired Thursday, dropping a 4-3 decision at Mt. Zion.
“With our third game this week, and all against solid teams, we were feeling the effects,” EHS coach Weston Peno noted. “But overall, we played pretty well.”
The first half was a back-and-forth affair and ended in a 2-2 tie.
“Entering the second half, momentum was ours and we cleaned up our game by quite a bit,” Peno said. “But Mt. Zion responded with a goal.”
The Hearts battled back to tie at 3-3, but the Braves scored the winning goal with less than a minute to play. Effingham managed to get a couple shots in the final seconds, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Osvaldo Angel scored two goals and Bryan Angel added another and goalie Brandon Duncan recorded 20 saves.
“Just when I think Brandon has played the best he possibly can, he steps up and shows me he can do more,” Peno said. “His season so far has been unreal. I am very proud of our team, despite these recent losses. We will continue to grow and get better.”
Mt. Zion also won the junior varsity contest 5-0.
The Hearts are 6-3 overall and 3-3 in Apollo Conference play. They will host Altamont on Saturday.
Tucker Moeller and Osvaldo Angel both scored three goals Saturday, leading the Effingham Hearts to an 8-0 soccer win at home over Altamont.
“From the very beginning, we cleaned up our play and our ball movement was finally what we have been striving for,” said EHS coach Weston Peno. “We controlled the field and communicated well. Seeing the way we played Saturday was like watching a brand new team. I am very proud of all the work my players are putting into the game. It’s showing clear payoff.”
Bryan Angel and Armando Estrada both added goals and goalie Brandon Duncan recorded the shutout.
The Hearts will play Newton on Tuesday.
It only took one day for the Effingham soccer team to bounce back.
After dropping a match to Mattoon Tuesday, the Hearts got two goals from Armando Estrada and Osvaldo Angel and goalie Brandon Duncan recorded 13 saves, helping Effingham record a 4-0 shutout Wednesday afternoon at Mt. Vernon.
“The team ran smoothly, passing well and communicating,” said EHS coach Weston Peno. “Both teams played at a good pace early. The first half was entertaining.
“As the game became more physical, and the pace heightened even more in the second half, we found our stride, controlled the ball and made bold, fast and effective runs,” Peno added. “This resulted in solid goals for us.”
In the junior varsity contest, Effingham and Mt. Vernon played to a 1-1 tie. Macey Williamson scored the goal for EHS.
Effingham will be back in action today (Thursday) at Mt. Zion.
Page 2 of 4
