Nathan Imlay
While starting the season rock-solid on the defensive end, Columbus North had a little trouble converting some of its scoring opportunities in the first three games of the season.
That was not the case on Saturday afternoon. The Class 3A No. 14 Bull Dogs scored early and often in an 8-0 win against Jeffersonville.
“I think we’re slowly starting to figure things out,” senior Nathan Imlay said. “The first game was a little off, and as we played Lawrence North, we had 11 or 12 shots on goal and only scored once. So I think things are getting figured out within the 18(-yard-line).”
Imlay netted a hat trick on Saturday, scoring the Bull Dogs’ first goal in the seventh minute, their third goal in the 21st minute and completing the hat trick with the seventh goal in the 65th minute.
“With any team, we don’t know what we’re going into every game,” Imlay said. “We just play how we want to play, and I think we did that today very well, especially in the second half.”
Christian Cardoso
Christian Cardoso added two goals and an assist for North (4-0). After assisting on Imlay’s first goal, he scored the Bull Dogs’ second goal i the 14th minute and their fourth goals in the 50th minute off an assist from Flynn Keele.
“I think we’re playing good,” Cardoso said. “We just have to fix things going to goal. But we’re putting up good shots.”
Leading 4-0, North scored three goals in a span of a little more than two minutes. Thomas De La Cruz found the net in the 63rd minute, Obed Oliva scored off an assist from Misaki Takemoto in the 64th minute and Imlay netted his third goal a minute later.
Raul Oliveria capped the scoring with a goal in the 77th minute.
“We’ve been working on finishing, and our efforts have proven effective on this particular day,” North coach Andy Glover said. “We’ve had a tough schedule here so far, but a good start. We have a heavy week next week, so we’re looking forward to it.”
The Bull Dogs outshot the Red Devils 37-2, putting 25 shots on goal to none for Jeffersonville. Oscar Ballinas played the first half in goal, and Max Grewe played the second half in goal for North.
North has yet to allow a goal this season. In fact, the Bull Dogs have allowed only two shots on goal in four games.
“The collective defensive effort has been respectable from the team, and that’s also something we’ve been emphasizing a lot, too,” Glover said. “Certainly, we take pride in a clean sheet, but we know it won’t be that way all the time, but we’ll work and try to do our best to keep a clean sheet.”
North did receive a little bad news last week when leading returning scorer Aidan Whitley was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his collarbone after taking a hard fall in Tuesday’s win against Lawrence North. Then, starting freshman defender Leo Iorio reinjured an ankle in warmups Saturday.
“Two massive pieces that we very much miss,” Glover said. “But it also creates opportunities for other kids to play. It’s an opportunity for players that have been there awhile to develop the defensive relationships with the newer players, which gives them a little bit of comfort and opportunity to move forward.”
