The Gentry Pioneers played the Subiaco Trojans on Friday, April 1st. The Pioneers played great! This was probably their best start since the game against Rogers Heritage. The Pioneers were outstanding with the ball to start off the game. They were able to get their first goal of the game by junior defensive middle Aaron Walker in the first 5 minutes of the game. The Pioneers were setting a tone. A few minutes went by and the Trojans kicked back to their goalie, and senior center middle Jared Rabb followed the kicked and was able to tap it in the goal. With about 25 minutes still left to play, the Pioneers were up 2-0 on the Trojans.  

The Trojans were able to get a shot off that was aiming off to the left side of the goal, but senior defender Austin Fowler was trying to clear the ball and somehow the ball had came off his foot wrong and went into the goal. The Pioneers were able to score again from Walker from about 10 yards out. The score was 3-1 with the Pioneers still leading with about 10 minutes left. With the time winding down, the Trojans were able to pull off another shot that went in.

Heading into halftime, the score was 3-2 and the Pioneers knew they needed to pull the lead away and come out with the win. The Pioneers started to get a little lazy in the second half, but were still able to contain the Trojans. Later, in the second half with about 25 minutes left, the Trojans were able to get a shot off that was caught on the ground by junior goalie Kelsey James, but one of the Trojans kicked it out of his hands and the ball went in. After that play James had an injury and that put junior right wing Braxton Gunneman to be goalie. The refs had called the goal off, but later changed their mind and said it was a goal. For the rest of the game the score was tied and freshman defender Nick Linch was able to save a goal the last seconds of the game.

The score was 3-3 and the Pioneers and the Trojans were going into penalty kicks. The lineup for the Pioneers for penalty kicks went Rabb, Fowler, junior left wing Clay Willis, sophomore forward Kevin Ochoa, junior defender Jentre Pair, and Gunneman at goalie. The Trojans went first and was able to put their first shot in, but Rabb answered back with a goal. The Trojans were able to score the next goal; Fowler was up, but couldn’t get the right footing on the ball and missed the shot far left. The Trojans next 2 kicks were high and in the goal over Gunneman’s reach. Willis and Ochoa both scored their penalty kicks, but the Pioneers needed a block on the Trojans’ fifth kicker. The ball set perfectly for the Trojans. The Pioneers lost in penalty kicks 5-3.

“The game didn’t go our way, but that was the best start we have ever had. This loss hurt and it showed us to never look down on our opponents if the score was 10-0. We just have to keep fighting and just work hard these next conferences games,’’ said Walker.

The Pioneers next game was against the Eureka Springs Highlanders on Tuesday, April 5th. The Pioneers are now 1-2 in conference.

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