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Youngs nets 100th goal plus 3
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
beaver township
For the second time in the game, Brandon Youngs found the back of the net and made school history with his 100th career goal.
Youngs finished with five goals as the South Range boys soccer team defeated Ursuline 6-3 on Monday night at Rominger Sports Complex.
“It was just an incredible feeling, it’s all too surreal,” Youngs said. “I never thought that I’d be at this mark this early in my senior year.”
With 19 minutes remaining in the first half, Youngs scored his first goal — his 99th — with the help from teammate Liam Abrigg.
Ursuline came right back with a goal by Jacob Coman.
Feeling pressure, the Raiders retaliated with an unassisted goal by Logan Baer.
Less than two minutes later — with another assist by Abrigg — Youngs netted 100.
Youngs said he came in thinking he needed to do everything he could to make sure he would hit that 100 mark. His goal was to reach that milestone while playing on home field.
“It felt really cool that I was able to be a part of his 100th goal — as a friend, as a teammate and even as a captain,” Abrigg said.
Ursuline coach Roy Schmidt said he enjoyed watching Youngs reach his milestone, but wished it wasn’t against his team. “Brandon’s a wonderful player — I’ve known him for years,” Schmidt said. “The way he plays I think it’s a pleasure to watch, it’s a pleasure to know.”
Before the first half ended, Youngs scored another goal off a penalty kick for a 4-1 lead.
When his 100th was in the net, Youngs said everything was running through his mind. It was, he said, like his head was in space.
“It’s a special moment for him,” South Range coach Mike Bailey said. “He is without a doubt one of the most prolific soccer players in this area.
“I couldn’t be happier for him getting his 100th goal, getting to do it here at home and doing it on a night where we needed him to score the goals that he scored.”
Youngs scored his fourth goal within two minutes of the second half starting.
The Raiders didn’t come out as strong in the second, which allowed Ursuline to score two additional goals.
Mario Ruano scored a goal for the Irish followed shortly after by Coman’s second goal.
Bailey said Ursuline is a great team that played hard all night, but is proud of how his team played and is looking forward to getting better as the season progresses.
This year, the Raiders moved up into Division II for the first time and are 3-0. Bailey and his team know that moving up into DII is going to be a challenge, but they are prepared to continue working and playing hard.
Youngs and Abrigg said they want to win another district championship and show that they’re here and can compete in Division II.
“I’ve got nine seniors and I’m really looking forward to letting them go out in a big way,” Bailey said.
The Irish are a young team with over half of the roster made up of freshmen and sophomores. Schmidt and his team are looking forward to the season and working together as a team.