Blackcats advance in districts with shut-out over Raiders

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

FARMINGTON — The Fredericktown Blackcats have three wins on the season (3-16), but their most recent came on Saturday in the opening game of the Class 2, District 1 Tournament held on the turf of Farmington’s Haille Auditorium.

The Blackcats defeated the Raiders with a 4-0 shut-out. It was their third win over North County, with one being a forfeit earlier in the week.

For the first 20 minutes of the game , it was all North County as their offense took 10 shots on goal while the Blackcats could only manage three. Fredericktown’s third shot on goal seemed to be the back-breaker for the Raiders due to its going into the net for the game’s first goal.

Austin Duncan took the shot from the left side of the goal that eluded North County’s goalie Alex Gallagher for the first point of the game with 19:40 left in the half. From that point on, Fredericktown’s offense dominated the play.

For the last 20 minutes of the half, Fredericktown made seven shots on goal to the Raiders’ one despite playing into the wind. The momentum continued into the second half, and only two minutes into the half, Fredericktown’s John Wanner fielded a loose ball that ricocheted off the right post and promptly kicked it into the goal to make the score 2-0.

The Blackcats defenders turned North County away time and time again, preventing any shots on goal by the Raiders. Jesse Stefflebein, who had take over for Tyler Hagy, only had to make one save over the last 35 minutes. Hagy made seven saves in the first half for the Blackcats.

Zach Proffer broke loose on the right side and for the second time in a row, but this time his shot on goal was all net as he beat a sliding Gallagher to the ball to kick it in at the 59 minute mark.

With the score still 3-0 and only 10 minutes left in the game, North County made a full team substitution.

The Blackcats kept up their intense offense with 15 shots on goal in the second half, and at 5:47 it paid off with Wanner making a pass to Jacob Bingham, and Bingham maneuvered the ball into the crease, beating Gallagher with the Blackcats fourth goal. Gallagher made a total of 15 saves in the game.

Fredericktown will play Farmington in the quarterfinal round on Monday at 5 p.m. North County finishes their season at 3-16.