Henson leads McClain with 4 goals in shutout of Piketon

The McClain girls varsity soccer team started off the new season with an impressive 17-0 victory over the Piketon Lady Redstreaks Friday night on McClain Field.

The Lady Tigers totally dominated the game both offensively and defensively, and the 17 goals scored were the most that any McClain girls team had ever scored in a game. It was also the largest margin of victory in program history.

“When you play a game like this, it’s just an all-around good team win, and when you have a lot of different girls score goals, that’s what you want to see,” said McClain head coach Blain Bergstrom. “I was really pleased with our balance of scoring tonight, and it was good to see some girls who usually play mostly on the defensive end score goals for us.”

Sophomore Larah Henson got the scoring going for McClain with back-to-back goals to start the game, followed by an unassisted score by fellow sophomore Paisley Pryor, and it was 3-0 with 30 minutes left in the opening half. The Lady Tigers continued to play great defensive soccer and score goals the rest of the period when four more players netted goals, highlighted by junior Addison Olaker, who scored the last two, including a header at the net.

McClain started the second half of play like the first with Henson scoring two quick goals, giving her four in the game and pushing the Lady Tigers lead to 10-0.

Senior Lindsey Hutchinson followed moments later with two straight goals, giving her three for the game and the coveted hat trick.

Mylie Lovett, Karlee McGlone, Kenzie Wise and Becca Bergstrom all added goals down the stretch in the lopsided win for McClain. Addison Olaker also preserved the shutout for the Lady Tigers late in the game when she made a great block on a Piketon penalty kick after filling in at the goal for starting keeper Kenzie Wise.

“It’s a good win to start off the season, but I told our girls we need to continue working on some things because it’s only going to get harder form here on out,” Bergstrom said. “We controlled the ball probably 95 percent of the game, and Piketon never really had any shots on goal until late in the game when we had most of our subs playing.

“I don’t know much about Logan Elm, and we beat them last year at their place in a close game, so I know they will come in here very prepared wanting to win.”

McClain will play Monday, Aug. 19 when they host Logan Elm with a 7 p.m. start time.

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