Sports

Vikings take care of business, blank Matignon

By Nick Curcuru
Staff Writer
Published: November 8, 2009

ROCKPORT - Rockport boys' soccer head coach Dave Curley has credited his team for their fast starts all season. In the opening minutes of contests, the Vikings normally come out flying and often score early goals to keep the opponent on their heels.

In yesterday's Division 3 North first round game with No. 13 Matignon, the fourth-seeded Vikings showed just how strong they are at the beginning of games. Rockport, scored twice in the first eight minutes of the game en route to an easy 5-0 win over the Warriors at Rockport High School.

"Our goal is to come out and score early," Curley said. "All season long we have been doing a good job at that. We came out flying and we created some great offensive opportunities in the opening minutes. It's always better playing with a lead."

Vikings senior captain and midfielder Mike Emerson echoed Curley's sentiment, and also pointed out that building early leads have a negative effect on their opponents.

"We got the momentum in our favor early," said Emerson, who had two goals and an assist in the win. "After we scored (Matignon) was really pressing and they were rushing their offense, we were relaxed and we were able to play our game."

Junior striker Cam Tibert opened up the scoring just four minutes into the contest. Tibert and Emerson got behind the Warrior defense which led to a two-on-none break; Emerson got the Matignon goalie to commit and he passed the ball to Tibert, who casually kicked it into the open net.

Just four minutes later, Emerson created some more offense for the Vikings as he took a perfect feed from sophomore midfielder CJ Burnham and buried it into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.

The remainder of the first half, however, was a struggle for the Vikings, as they got a little sloppy and got away from their gameplan.

"We started to play their game," Curley said. "(Matignon) likes to create their offense out of long passes and speed, we are more of a possession team and I think we got away from it a little bit. But we didn't let them get back into the game and we played our style in the second half."

The second half started off much like the first as Burnham scored just seven minutes in to the frame. The sophomore, who was playing a new position-midfield-because of a season ending injury to Shaffy Roell, rushed up the field with the ball, hurdled a defender who was attempting a slide tackle, and finished the job to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.

Emerson and Tibert scored in the 73rd and 75th minutes respectively with senior captain Brendan Douglass getting an assist on Tibert's goal to seal the deal.

While the offense was clicking for the Vikings, their defense may have been even better. Sophomore defender AJ Burnham (who left the game with an injury just 10 minutes in), junior Alex Hauck, freshman Caden Tibert, and Douglass, who was also playing a new position, held the Warriors to just one shot on junior goalkeeper Keady Segel. Their one shot on goal came from midfield.

"The defense was very solid," Curley said. "AJ went out in the first 10 minutes and I thought they did a great job in his absence."

With the win the Vikings will play No. 5 Lynnfield tomorrow (5 p.m., Rockport High School). The Vikings and the Pioneers tied 0-0 in their only meeting this season.

"They are a very physical team," Emerson said. "But we can play physical too. It's going to be an intense game and a great atmosphere."