Jackson soccer team rolls to 7-0 win vs. Bluff

Editor's note: The Poplar Bluff coach was misidentified in the story that appeared in print. It has been corrected online.

The Jackson boys soccer team overmatched Poplar Bluff on all levels Tuesday evening.

The Indians' 7-0 win provided the evidence.

The Mules (0-1) struggled to contain Jackson in their opening game of the season.

"Jackson, I think, definitely their starting 11 and they got a few bench players that are pretty solid," Poplar Bluff coach Jamie Waddell said. "They got good foot skills. They're big kids. They're not overly muscular, but they look like soccer players. They have wide shoulders and they handle the ball well. It's kind of hard to push somebody off when they're that much bigger than us. They look like they've been having a soccer ball at their feet for a couple of years now. They make it look easy."

Jackson's Ryan Schlick, left, congratulates teammate Zack Taylor on scoring a goal against Poplar Bluff during the first half Tuesday in Jackson. The Indians won 7-0. More photos can be viewed online at semoball.com. (Kristin Eberts)

There was little suspense in this one. Jackson (4-0) earned a penalty kick just two minutes into the game.

Ryan Schlick was shut down on the first attempt, but the Indians earned another penalty kick seven minutes later and Schlick buried it.

Schlick was one of six different Indians to find the back of the net in their home opener.

"There are several guys on our team that can put the ball in the back of the net this year," Jackson coach Zack Walton said. "That's nice. That's shown in the first four games. We got several guys that have scored. We don't have to rely on one person to do it for us. If we continue to play like a team, I think we got a lot of good things for us this year."

The Indians added three more goals in the first half to take a 4-0 halftime lead.

Jackson's Law Duncan and Poplar Bluff's Sterling Wilkerson race up the field during the first half.

Jackson dominated possession throughout, while the Mules were forced to chase all over.

"Our boys started off real well, just getting the ball and knocking it around and didn't have to chase it as much," Walton said. "When you start doing that, the game gets a lot easier and you don't wear yourself out."

Added Jackson senior Zack Taylor: "We tried to pass the ball and move. We just tried to keep possession of the ball, work it around and find the open man and then try and score."

Poplar Bluff managed little on the offensive end in the first half.

The Mules were able to muster some offense in the second half, but their few chances were shut down by Jackson.

"I told them on the way up here we can't go north and south with [Jackson]," Waddell said. "We have to spread them out and get the defense spread. When we finally did that in the second half, we had some opportunities and the keeper made two great saves."

The Indians added three second-half goals and made a statement in their first home game of the season. But Walton knows the Indians need to improve.

"We need to continue to work on moving the ball quicker instead of holding on to it so long," Walton said. "Possession wise we did a decent job. We maintained possession. I don't think my keeper had to make too many saves. He did come out in the second half and had to make a few more. The first home game of the season and they played well."

Schlick tallied two goals and Taylor, Keagan Cavanah, Ricardo Ramirez, Kendall Townsend and Dakota Suhre each added one goal.

Taylor, Ramirez, Clayton Baker, Austin Gammon and Alex Bolen added assists for Jackson.