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SPORTS
Second-half Highlanders take victory over St. Joe
Huntington High's Garith Duncan drives the ball past St. JoeÕs Rob Anderson during a high school soccer game on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008, at Spring Valley High School.
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SPRING VALLEY -- During Tuesday's match against Cabell Midland and the beginning of Thursday's contest with Huntington St. Joe, the Huntington soccer team did not look like the veteran team they were thought to be.
It was a 120-minute stretch that had seen the team struggle to pass the ball, maintain possession and execute on both ends of the field.
But in the second half against Huntington St. Joe on Thursday evening, something started to click and the Highlanders proved how potent they can be. The team scored three second half goals en route to a 4-0 victory over the Irish at Spring Valley High School.
"They are starting to come into what we want," Huntington coach Brian Eerenberg said. "It just takes a lot of work and a lot of us jumping onto them."
Eerenberg might want to bottle and save whatever he said at halftime to his team because the second half looked like a completely different unit than the side that took the field in the first 40 minutes.
Passes became more crisp, players communicated on the field and the solid play was rewarded with three goals, including two by Garith Duncan.
Duncan scored his first goal off a header following a beautiful pass from Patrick Demoss into the box off of a free kick. Eight minutes later, solid ball movement led to Duncan's second goal. He took a pass from Chris Moncer and pushed it past Huntington St. Joe goalkeeper Robert Blair.
Moncer had opened the second half onslaught when he took a ball off a rebound from Blair and pushed it past the Irish goalkeeper just four minutes into the second half.
"We did a little moving around and now, we have leaders in the middle," Eerenberg said. "They are really taking control. I'm pressing them forward and giving them permission to go and get it."
Huntington (3-1-1) led 1-0 at the half following a goal off a corner kick from Jamel Boukhemis, but it was Huntington St. Joe (2-1) that dictated play for the first 20 minutes by keeping possession.
The Irish, who feature several underclassmen in the starting lineup, were not intimidated by the older and more physical Huntington side.
"The first 20 minutes I thought we did a really good job, but their speed took over the second 20," Irish coach Chuck Karnes said. "It's good for them to see a good school, a very good team. Now, they see what type of pace the game needs to be played at this level."
Blair was also a definite bright spot for the Irish, contributing several sprawling saves to keep Huntington off the board. He finished with nine saves.
HUNTINGTON 1 3 -- 4
HUNTINGTON ST. JOSEPH 0 0 -- 0
H: Jamel Boukhemis (assist Bill Jones), 27:43
H: Chris Moncer (unassisted), 44:37
H: Garith Duncan (assist Patrick Demoss), 51:38
H: Duncan (assist Moncer), 59:29
Shots: H 21, HSJ 3; Saves: H 1 (Balch 1), HSJ 9 (Blair 9); Corner kicks: H 3, HSJ 1.
