With a sectional semifinal game against Columbus East on Thursday all but a formality, Columbus North girls soccer coach Derek Stewart rested most of his key players in Tuesday’s opener against Scottsburg.
That gesture only managed to keep the score more reasonably on an unseasonably warm night at Richard Wigh Soccer Complex. The Bull Dogs still scored five times in the first half and went on to post a 6-0 victory.
“We were fortunate enough to play quite a few players tonight,” Stewart said. “That keeps some players healthy. We’re banged up a little bit, so that was nice that we could rest them this evening.”
North (5-8-3) outshot the Warriors 30-3 in the first half and 40-3 for the game. The Bull Dogs put 14 shots on goal to one for Scottsburg.
North got on the board in the ninth minute when Morgan Parkhurst took a lead pass from Natalie Teo and scored. Teo then assisted on a Corrine Orben goal in the 18th minute and scored herself off a pass from Chloe Chambers in the 21st minute to make it 3-0.
“(The fast start) was really nice since we haven’t had the best season so far,” Teo said. “We know we’re still progressing. I think we could have finished on a couple more chances than we did.”
Kaitlyn Meek netted her first varsity goal off an assist form Orben in the 30th minute, and Tanner Johnson made it 5-0 with an unassisted goal in the 35th minute. The game stayed that way until Baleigh Drum added the final goal off an assist from Elise Whitley in the 79th minute.
“It wasn’t a high-pressure game,” Stewart said. “We obviously didn’t play with as much intensity as we normally do. But we’ll be back at work (today) and see if we can get it going for Thursday.”
The Bull Dogs and Olympians will play in the second semifinal at about 8 p.m. Seymour and Madison will meet in the 6 p.m. opener.
North and East played to a 0-0 tie during the regular season.
“I think we need to attack more and make more runs off the ball so we can get up into their final third a lot more,” Teo said.
