Boys’ soccer: Mt. Abram, Hill overpower Winthrop

Mt Abram’s Tyson Hill sails through the air too late as Winthrop’s goalkeeper Jake Smith gains control of the ball during Monday afternoon’s soccer game in Winthrop. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)

WINTHROP — It seemed like Mt. Abram junior forward Tyson Hill was given a front-row seat to Winthrop’s net on an overcast Monday afternoon.

Hill hung around long enough to put on his own show, scoring four goals, to steer the undefeated Roadrunners (9-0) to a 5-2 victory over the stubborn Ramblers (6-3) in a Mountain Valley Conference boys’ soccer game.

“I try my best to (be in front of the net),” Hill said. “Last game, I had three goals, but never as well as these goals I had today.

“I was feeling it today. I had so much energy getting out of the bus. I never had the energy like today.

“They (Ramblers) are a great team. They really were. Their defense is strong. Their offense was really, really good.”

Winthrop stayed right on Mt. Abram’s heels for the first 20 minutes of the first half. The Ramblers scored first when forward Rowan Goebel-Bain punched in his goal on a Gavin Brill assist.

The Roadrunners finally got up to speed and began hammering away at the Ramblers.

Hill scored his first of four goals to tie the game when he used his head like a baseball bat and lined the ball into the right side of the Winthrop net. Denny Marble picked up the assist on the play.

Hill seemed surprised that he scored one of his four goals on a header.

“That is my second header I have had, like in my entire life. Last game was my first one. This was my second one.”

The Roadrunners went up 2-0 on a goal from Cam Walters, with JB Jordan being credited with the assist.

But Hill supplied the rest of Mt. Abram’s goals, scoring three in a row, starting in the first half. During Hill’s procession to the net, Kenyon Pillsbury and Ben DiBiase each picked up assists. Hills’ three-goal eruption put Mt. Abram in the driver’s seat with a 5-1 lead.

“Winthrop always gives us an issue,” Mt. Abram coach Darren Allen said. “Always! No matter what the records are. I was really nervous about today because I know some of the kids who play for Winthrop.

“They are big. They are good and I was really impressed with them. So I was really nervous and we responded.

“Tyson finished well today. That’s what we can do. If we are on, we are on when we finish. He has his confidence. This year he is going strong in the season. In years past, he has kind of faded a little bit, but he has confidence. Evan (Allen) gives him the ball. JB gives him the ball and he’s there to finish.

“I was happy with our performance today. We need to clean some things up in the back. We missed two clearances on two goals and that resulted in a PK.”

Ramblers midfielder Noah Grube put his team on the scoreboard in the second half, scoring on a penalty kick after the Roadrunners were penalized for a questionable slide tackle.

But the Ramblers just couldn’t keep up with the Roadrunners.

“The communication level went south,” Winthrop coach Jon Baehr said. “We didn’t talk well. We are trying to get these boys in the best shape we can. We have a long ways to go.

“The biggest thing is we want to compete against teams to that caliber, programs of that caliber. Tonight we didn’t do that for 80 minutes.

“We can compete with good programs like Mt. Abram for the first 20 minutes. We have to work on the last 60. They (Roadrunners) are solid at every position. They have guys that control the midfield very well. They have strikers that can put the ball in the back of the net. Hopefully, we will just keep getting better.”

Winthrop’s Michael Morales and Mt Abram’s Cam Walters struggle for control of the ball during Monday afternoon’s soccer game in Winthrop. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)Mt Abram’s Tyson Hill heads the ball into the goal past Winthrop’s Ian Dow and Joel Kim Monday afternoon’s soccer game in Winthrop. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)Winthrop’s Colby Emery keeps his eye on the ball Monday afternoon’s soccer game in Winthrop. Mt Abram’s Oscar Martinez keeps track of the play form the right. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)Mt Abram’s JB Jordan and Winthrop’s Andrew Frost run the ball down the field Monday afternoon’s soccer game in Winthrop. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)