Special to the MDN – The Swain High Men’s Soccer team traveled to Mitchell on Monday evening to take on the Mitchell Mountaineers. It took the Devils 13 minutes to get on the scoreboard when Sophomore Owen Craig would find Junior Landon Matz for a goal. It would take the Devils 20 more minutes to score another goal when Junior Canon Helpman would make a throw to Matz who would score again. The first half would end with the Devils up 2-0.
Just three and a half minutes into the second half the Devils would score again when Junior Matthew Gray would find Matz for a hat trick on the night. Four minutes later Craig would add a goal himself when Matz would connect with him. Craig would add his second goal of the night twenty two minutes into the second half off a pass from Freshman Clayton Shuler. Five minutes later Senior Gavin Lanning would score a goal assisted by Gray. Matz would wrap up the scoring with two more goals assisted by Gray and Freshman James Sanchez. The game would finish with the Devils taking an 8-0 win. “We had to do a lot of adapting to field conditions in the first half, but in the second half we had adjusted well and were ready to play,” said Head Coach Scott Cline.
On Defense Senior Gavin Lanning led the way with 10 Clears/Steals. He was followed by Junior Canon Helpman with 7, Freshman Brendan Lanning and Junior Landon Matz each with 6, and Seniors Taligwo Walker and Levi Trantham each with 5. In goal Junior Cameron Phillips recorded 10 Goalkeeper Saves. The Player of the Game for the Devils was Canon Helpman. “Canon has shown tremendous improvement all season and really stepped it up in this game,” said Cline. “He played a major role in helping us to control the middle of the field.”