After back-to-back, razor-thin 1-goal victories, the Jackson boys were relieved to finally get a gimme game on the schedule and took full advantage of the weaker Wolves (1-9, 0-7)—a team that has not won a conference game this season.
The Broncs improved to 10-0 on the season with an 11-1 win over Green River on Saturday at home. Coach Matt Hoelscher began the game sending a message to his players. A few key starters rode the pine as Hoelscher tinkered with the lineup to start.
“We’ve been talking about [not putting teams away],” Hoelscher admitted. “We had some new midfielders and forwards in there. Just sending a message to the usual starters. We can do that and not miss much with the great feeder program we got. I think we ended up playing, like, 22 kids today.”
Jackson jumped up early with a free kick screamer from 29 yards out off the leg 0f Teddy Opler just inside the right post. It was 1-0 Jackson less than eight minutes in.
Green River responded, however, just five minutes later with the equalizer—a perfectly placed free kick from 39 yards out that Jackson keeper Johan Garcia made the initial save on but the rebound came right out to a charging Green River forward for an easy tap-in.
“That was unfortunate. Give them credit, they put a nice ball in the box. Johan probably should have parried it over the crossbar, and I think he was trying to do that but it hit the past and came back out front,” Hoelscher said.
Jackson again took a little time getting going but once they did the floodgates opened.
Hunter Dewell scored on a nice example of the Broncs driving the net in numbers with 22:48 left in the first.
“We’ve been working on that—supporting and being more creative inside the 18, in the box.
Opler grabbed 2 more quick goals and Daniel Huerta added another to make it 5-1 at the half.
Jackson would get points from a variety of players Saturday. Besides Opler’s 4 tallies, Dewell, Kei McClennen, Charlie Hoelscher, Sahir Romero, Leo Harland, Rafael Silva, and Jonathan Vasquez Vargas all scored a goal.
With the offense back on track, Hoelscher can turn his attention to keeping the ball out of his own net—something he says the team will continue to work on this week in practice as Kelly Walsh (7-1) and Natrona (3-4-1) come calling this weekend.
Compounding defensive lapses is the injury in net to starter Javy Huta. The junior keeper has been difficult to replace. Hoelscher has tried Jonathan Vazquez Vargas and Johan Garcia between the pipes, but neither likes playing there nor are they comfortable in goal.
“The hope is Javy will return at some point but I don’t know if he will be ready Friday,” Hoelscher said.
With Opler scoring in bunches, and a large and dangerous supporting cast of weapons, coach Hoelscher can spend time shoring up the back end where the likes of Kelly Walsh and Evanston (final game of the regular season on the road) will be sure to push the Broncs to the limit.
