LEXINGTON – Peter Them didn’t need his Lexington boys’ soccer team to get fired up against Ontario on Saturday evening. He needed them to relax.
Once that was accomplished, the Minutemen cruised to a 7-1 season-opening victory against the Warriors.
“We worked on possessing the ball all summer,” Them said. “If we keep the ball, the other team can’t score. I was frustrated early because we fell into the Ontario style, making long passes and chasing. I wanted us to relax and do what we have been working on.
“I thought once we did that, especially in the second half, it was much better soccer. We kept good spacing, made shorter passes and attacked better,” Them said.
Lexington scored first with 33:23 left in the first half when senior forward Kyle Alexander slammed a long direct kick past a two-man Ontario wall and sophomore goalkeeper Austin Fraley. Fellow Minutemen senior Bailey Faust made it 2-0 with 21:56 left when he knocked home a rebound goal.
“We have two senior forwards who both can put the ball in the net,” said Them, whose team returns seven starters from last year’s Ohio Cardinal Conference runner-up club.
Junior Cole Richards made his presence known quickly when he came off the bench with about 11 minutes left in the first half. He scored on headers with 9:56 and 7:56 left in the half., the first of four Lexington juniors to reach the net.
After Ontario opened the second half with a goal by junior Eric Klimczynski less than three minutes into the period, cutting the Lexington lead to 4-1, the three Minutemen juniors completed the scoring.
Gavin Carns drove in a left-footed goal with 31:53 left. Alex Poth headed in a rebound with 7:50 left and Connor Baughmann finished the scoring with a long shot that looped over Fraley’s head with 4:50 left in the game.
The game looked like a season opener – physical and sloppy play by both teams at times. It featured three yellow cards for over aggressive play, two Ontario and one by Lexington.
“I think there were some first-game jitters (for both teams),” Them said. “Everyone was excited to get out on the field and do to others what they have been doing to one another in practice.”
Despite the loss, Ontario first-year head coach Chris McClenathan said he was pleased with his young team’s effort. The Warriors have just two seniors on their varsity roster.
“I am very pleased with our first game,” he said. “I saw a lot of things we can build on. That is one of the best teams we will play all season. They are talented, deep and well coached.”
A bright spot for Ontario were multiple long runs by speedy senior forward Lenell Shelby, a state track qualifier and varsity basketball player. Shelby didn’t find the net, but his charges had the Lexington defense on its heels several times, rescued often by senior goalkeeper Zac Ritchey.
“Lenell is just an amazing athlete,” McClenathan said. “He came out two or three games into last season and has just done a great job.”
Shelby’s speed attacks have been so good that McClenathan said his team has a tendency to rely on them too often.
“We have worked on that in the last 14 or 15 days so we realize we don’t have to always play up that way,” he said.
Lexington (1-0) opens its Ohio Cardinal Conference schedule Tuesday at Mansfield Senior. Ontario (0-1) looks for its first win Wednesday with a non-conference game at OCC foe Madison.
Lexington also won the junior varsity match, 7-3.
