Carson's Cristian Hernandez plays the ball against Damonte Ranch on Saturday.
The biggest game of the season for the Carson High boys soccer team is Wednesday at Wooster, and what better way to prepare than with a victory.
Carson scored four goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half to break open 2-1 game and grab a 6-1 win over Damonte Ranch on Saturday at Carson High School.
The win upped Carson’s record to 9-3-1 entering Wednesday afternoon’s showdown at Wooster (3:30 p.m.).
“It is the biggest game of our season if we want to win league,” said defender Zach Smith. “We have to win from here on out. I think it will be a pretty physical game. The second games (against a team) usually are.”
In the opening half, Carson outshot Damonte 10-3, but had just a 2-1 lead to show for it. Cristian Hernandez and Oscar Ventura scored for the Senators, while Jose Efren Garcia banged a rebound past Gustavo Villagrana in the 29th minute to make it 2-1.
In the second half, Carson pelted the Damonte goal, scoring on four of its first six shot attempts to break open what had been a close game.
Hernandez banged in a rebound off Alejandro Gonzalez’s shot in the 42nd minute, and five minutes later, Ryan Galvan headed in a ball off a corner kick to make it 4-1. Galvan scored again in the 52nd minute, and then Hernandez completed his second hat trick of the season with a goal in the 53rd minute to complete the scoring.
Hernandez now has 15 goals on the season. He has scored goals in the last six games he’s played in. He missed a recent game against Manogue because of a red card. Galvan’s scores were the first since the loss to Wooster.
“I told them they needed to finish off their opportunities, and they did,” coach Mehdi Samii said. “They played outstanding in the second half. That’s the best soccer we’ve played all year.”
Samii said that Carson will make up its game against Reno on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at home.
CHS girls tie
Damonte’s Erica Riter scored in the final minute of the game, as the Mustangs grabbed a point with a 1-1 tie against Carson.
The tie dropped Carson to 9-1-3 with three games left in the regular season. CHS visits Wooster at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
“We played poorly in the second half,” said CHS coach Greg Lehman. “We played kickball the whole second half. It’s all about effort. You have to have all 11 players wanting to play.”
Melissa Glanzmann gave Carson a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute when she scored off a cross. Kiahna Pimental had a couple of scoring opportunities late in the first half, but was unable to convert.
The score stayed that way until less than a minute remained. Carson was unable to clear a ball out of its own end, and Ritter popped one over the head of Karla Reyes for the game-tying score.
The Senators played without Josilyn Daggs, who was on her official recruiting visit to the University of Idaho.
Carson will host Reno Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. in a make-up contest.