The Hopkinsville Tigers boys’ soccer team started early and never let up on Saturday at the Colonel Showcase at the Stadium of Champions. The Tigers, ranked 14th in the latest KHSSCA state poll, cruised to back-to-back 10-0 mercy rule wins over Caldwell County and Muhlenberg County.
Hopkinsville, the joint top-ranked team in the YourSportsEdge.com 2nd Region rankings, began the day with a 10-0 win over the Caldwell County Tigers (4-8-1). Senior midfielder Ethan Noel led the way with a hat trick, while senior forward Caleb Joiner and junior forward Ryan Roussel both had 2 goals. Senior forward Tyler Aldridge, recently returned from injury, sophomore midfielder Tyler Greenwell, and sophomore defender Mason Rye each added a goal. Aldridge, Roussel, and senior midfielder Braden Casey had assists, and team-leader Ethan Noel had 3. Sophomore goalkeeper Xavier Bussell picked up the shutout.
The Tigers’ second match of the day offered little more difficulty, as they only needed the required 40 minutes to dispatch the 1-10-1 Muhlenberg County Mustangs 10-0. Caleb Joiner had a hat trick and Roussel had 2 goals, with Noel, sophomore midfielder Welby Horn, senior midfielder Newcomb Maddux, sophomore midfielder Tyler Greenwell, and freshman midfielder Jose Favela contributing a goal each. Roussel recorded 3 assists and Noel added a couple, while Joiner, Aldridge, and Rye each had one. Junior goalkeeper Ethan Bailey had 2 saves for the shutout.
The Tigers travel to Murray on Tuesday to face the 11-2-1 Calloway County Lakers. The Lakers were 3-1 winners over Henderson County (11-2-2) on Saturday.
