The Carson boys soccer team started its season off strong Wednesday, peppering the McQueen Lancers with 14 shots on the way to a 3-0 victory at McQueen High School.
The Lancers managed only one shot and it was wide, making for a bored goalkeeper in senior Brandon Briggs.
Briggs managed to get in on some action, however, and kicked the ball ahead the length of the field to a streaking Adam Updegrove, who score his second goal of the game in the 55th minute to wrap up the scoring.
First-year Senators head coach Nate Brigham was able to bring in backup keeper Ryan Lee in the 67th minute, even though he too wasn't challenged.
"Our back four played very well," Brigham said of his shutdown defense. "Brian (Duran) and Luis (Aguilar) did a real good job of keeping high pressure on their forwards and didn't allow them to get any shots off."
Updegrove opened the scoring in the 12th minute. Junior Israel Lopez played a square ball off a corner kick to Updegrove, who put it away.
"We looked good, but the field at McQueen is very, very bumpy," Brigham said. "We had a little trouble getting into our rhythm. Passing and keeping it on the ground is tough when the ball bounces all over."
In the 48th minute, midfielder Blake Moreland found fellow senior Brady Roser for a header to give Carson a 2-0 lead.
Brigham said he was pleased that the Senators were able to carry over the success they had in winning the preseason Galena Tournament.
"It was good to see the boys play a full-length (30-minute) game and do what we did in 25-minute halves (at Galena)," Brigham said.
Next up for the defending Sierra League champion Senators is a meeting with High Desert League opponent Reed on Saturday. The game begins on the old grass field at Carson High School, beginning at 11 a.m.
"Watching Reed at the Galena Tournament, it should be a good matchup," Brigham said.