Boys soccer has mixed week

The Boardman High School boys soccer team improved its season record to 4-1 this past week.

On Aug. 26, the Spartans dropped their first match of the campaign 3-1 at Austintown Fitch. Senior captain Zach Stamp logged Boardman’s lone goal of the night.

Senior Brian Fryda and junior Kevin Durkin split time in the goal, registering six and two saves, respectively.

Boardman’s junior varsity team also suffered it’s first defeat this season to the Falcons by a score of 2-0. Kevin Durkin had two saves as keeper while junior Liam McCarthy logged three saves.

On Aug. 28, Boardman played it’s first home game of the season against Cardinal Mooney. With installation of the new turf field at the high school complex not quite completed, the Spartans welcomed the chance to play once more on historic Spartan Stadium; where soccer games were once played decades ago.

After an evenly matched opening segment, a cross from the Mooney right wing was mishandled by the Spartan defense and the errant header slipped past the Boardman keeper for an own goal. From that point, a solid team effort by the Spartans gradually took over control of the game.

Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Spartan offense led by seniors Vince Mancini, Anthony Pallante, Zach Smotzer and Zach Stamp, juniors Andrew Gable and Shane Learman and sophomore Rob Lewis produced a three goal second half to register the 3-1 win.

Smotzer led the scoring with two goals, while Stamp assisted on one and scored on a penalty kick with 12 minutes remaining. From there, the Spartan defense anchored by senior captain Adam Calhoun and assisted by senior Zach Fryda and juniors Adam Deeley, Aaron DunLany and Sam Varga routinely turned away the Cardinal’s attack. Brian Fryda had four saves in the nets for Boardman.

In junior varisty action, Boardman lost to Mooney 2-0. Juniors Kevin Durkin (three saves), Liam McCarthy (four saves) and freshman Jeffrey Holmes (two saves) shared goal keeping duties.

On Aug. 30, Boardman traveled to Perry High School and secured a 2-0 victory or the Panthers. Zach Stamp gave the Spartans a 1-0 halftime lead until junior Andrew Gable scored a second goal off an assist from junior Adam Deeley. Fryda had three saves while Durkin had one as keeper.

In the junior varsity match, Boardman brought home a 5-0 win. Junior Chris Dailey opened the scoring for Boardman. Freshman Jacob Smotzer and sophomore Jonah Testa added two goals each. McCarthy and Holmes each had two saves as goalies.