Outlaws boys soccer stifles opponents

The Outlaws shut down the Hornets 5-0 at Henley on Tuesday, September 13, and two days later smashed the Bulldogs 9-0 at Sutherlin.

Sean Willitts got the Outlaws on the scoreboard in Tuesday's shutout over Henley. Willitts scored four minutes into the contest with an assist from Keaton Green on the ground. Four minutes later, Keaton crossed the ball from the right side over to Malachy Sundstrom, who hit a lefty shot into the net.

At the 10-minute mark, Willitts got a second chance after a deflection off the keeper, and punched it into the lower corner for the score.

Sundstrom scored Sisters' fourth goal off a nice through-ball from Asher Bachtold in the 38th minute. The Outlaws' final goal came midway through the second half. Bachtold threw the ball in and Keegan Greaney scored from the center of the box.

Coach Rob Jensen told The Nugget that outside backs Willie Stewart and Colby Simeral played well.

"Willie and Colby both executed the game-plan well and were able to play with poise under pressure," said Jensen. "They really added to our defensive pressure."

Ryan Funk recorded three saves in the contest, and Sisters out shot Henley 13 to 3.

Jensen said, "We started to ping the ball around well, and our combos were looking better all over the field. Asher (Bachtold) and Alec (Gannon) controlled the ball in the midfield and Sean (Willitts) and Malachy (Sundstrom) really put pressure up top providing two goals each."

In the 19th minute in Thursday's match-up against the Bulldogs, Keaton Green blasted a shot into the back left corner past the keeper off a nice through-ball from Sean Willitts to get the Outlaws' scoring frenzy started.

Three minutes later, Minam Cravens' shot from 45 yards out skipped between the keeper's legs for a goal.

In the 34th minute, Malachy Sundstrom took a shot that deflected off the keeper, and Jude Kokesh-Carhart volleyed the rebound into the back of the net. Five minutes later, Sundstrom dribbled through the Sutherlin defense and crossed the ball to Jude, who scored his second varsity goal.

At the half, the Outlaws were on top 4-0.

Sisters piled up five more goals in the second half.

Three minutes into the final half, Malachy received a ball from the corner and took a shot. It was deflected off the keeper and then rebounded back in by Sundstrom for the fifth goal of the match.

Sundstrom dribbled past the defense and slotted in another goal just seven minutes later.

Midway through the half, Kokesh-Carhart received a cross from the wing. His shot hit the cross-bar and bounced straight down, and Keegan Greaney was there to follow it into the goal.

With seven minutes left in the contest, Sundstrom rounded the right corner and crossed the ball to Brogan Petterson, who had a sweet double-knee volley for the score. In the final minute, Sundstrom attempted to cross the ball to a teammate, and it deflected off the Bulldogs' defense for the goal.

Sundstrom finished the game with a hat trick and four assists. Kokesh-Carhart scored two goals, and Green, Cravens, Willitts, and Petterson each contributed one goal.

Jensen said, "Overall, we passed the ball around much better and had about 99 percent of the possession. The boys really took pride in looking for teammates and playing at their own level. There was a really big improvement this week from last week on team chemistry."

The Outlaws were to play at home against Sweet Home on Tuesday, September 20. On Thursday, September 22, Sisters will travel to Elmira.