For The Dialog
HOCKESSIN — Salesianum’s soccer team, ranked fourth in the country, had its offense going in a 7-0 win over Caravel on Sept. 13 at the Hockessin Soccer Club. The Sals will take their 2-0 record to Colorado, where they play a pair of games, including national No. 5 Fairview on Friday.
But first they had to face Caravel, a traditional Division II power. Salesianum scored six first-half goals to put this one away early. Jason Blackwell had three in the first half, and Gavin Ford added a pair.
Ford got the scoring started in the eighth minute, receiving a pass from Cole Bouchard and burying it into the far side of the net. The Sals were just getting started. Brandon Hanrahan scored off a feed from Bryce Wallace to make it 2-0 in the 11th. Ford added his second two minutes later. Blackwell then took over and scored the next three, in the 16th, 20th and 37 minutes.
“The game plan was to send the ball wide because they played a 4-1-2-1-2 formation so they don’t have any outside miss,” Blackwell said.
Coach Scott Mosier pulled his starters after that half; Salesianum has an 8 a.m. flight to Colorado on Thursday.
The team has scored 15 goals in two games, and Ford attributes it to playing together. “We have played together for three years, plus we all play on the same club team so the chemistry is there.”
Mosier said trips like the one out west are good for his players. They will meet two of Colorado’s top teams on back-to-back days.
“(Our players) have aspirations for college, and those teams have to travel, so we are preparing them for that,” the coach said.
The Sals return to Delaware action Sept. 22 vs. Charter at 3:30 p.m. at Hockessin Soccer Club. Caravel (0-2) plays St. Elizabeth on Thursday at Alapocas Run State Park at 3:45 p.m.
