JACKSON — The Saxony Lutheran Crusaders started their long stretch of road games on the right foot last week, winning 8-0 at Kennet on Sept. 28.
The win was a true team performance, with six different Crusaders scoring goals and five earning assists, for a total of eight Crusaders coming away from the victory with points
Bryce Meyer and Nick Chambliss scored two goals each. Vincent Craft, Cain Cissell, Colton Cissell, and Ben Paniamogan each scored once. Craft, both Cissells, Addison Verseman and Liem Nations had assists.
Goalkeeper Austin Fullford and the Crusader defense earned their fourth clean sheet of the season in the win.
“We moved the ball well, we transitioned well, we kept the game under control,” head coach Chris Crawford said. “We played at our pace instead of dropping down to what they wanted to play. I was really happy with that, to go on the road and do that.”
The Crusaders then played the final home game before a three game road trip on October 1, again winning 8-0, this time against Dexter.
A Liem Nations hat trick led the Crusaders past the Bearcats, his three goals were assisted by Bryce Meyer and Colton Cissell. Cissell would have two goals as well, with an assist from Meyer on his second.
Nick Chambliss also scored a pair, and Finn McQuay scored once. Fullford earned his fifth clean sheet on the season with another shutout victory. Five out of six Saxony wins as of October 2 have been defensive shutouts.
“t was very much a team effort again Thursday,” Crawford said. “We had a lot of guys score, we shared the ball really well, we moved the ball very well. Again, it took us a little bit to settle into the game like it has for a while, but I think we ended up scoring five in the first half and then ended the game with three very quick ones in the second half. There are still some things we need to clean up, still some parts of the game that I wasn’t super happy with, but to get out with a win like that is great. And, you know, we’re just trying to sharpen things up as we get into October and kind of the meat of our schedule.”
Crawford said the most impressive aspect of the both wins was the team poise, he said they kept the same intensity no matter the score, and didn’t get a big head when up big, treating every game the same, which should help them late in the season.
“You can have games like last week where you have two blowouts and then you kind of start feeling yourself, and we’re not having that problem,” Crawford said. “We’re still training super-hard. We’re getting after it. We’re flying around in practice both offensively and defensively. I’m happy with the effort and how they’re approaching every practice with the mindset that we’re going to get better, we’re gonna get sharper, where we’re gonna do things the right way.”
The Crusaders begin their three game road trip at Perryville on October 8. Kickoff against the Pirates is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
