St. Francis Struggle in Tough 8-0 Defeat

The St. Francis Wolves had a very difficult time against the St. John Paul II Panthers Wednesday night, losing 8-0 after giving up seven goals in the first half. It was a disappointing day for the Wolves, especially after they won 7-0 Tuesday.

The Wolves could not stop the Panthers

St. John Paul II were able to dictate the tempo right from the start. The Panthers got a shot on target within 30 seconds, which was promptly saved by Wolves’ goalie Dylan Karoley. They struck first on a corner in the fifth minute and never looked back after that goal. St John Paul II did a really good job with their play going forward through the middle, which helped them create space out wide.

As for St. Francis, it was very difficult for them to contain the Panthers’ attack as a whole. They gave up three straight goals off the play by the wingers. It became really difficult to adjust, especially since they also had played a day earlier. The Panthers dominated with speed and it showed all game with their play.

The highlight of the match came in the 20th minute on a set piece goal to put St. John Paul II up 5-0. It was a stunning goal that was well-taken by the Panthers. The Panthers would add two more goals to end the first half.

Experience was a Huge Factor

Many factors can be attributed to the struggles of the Wolves in this game. They had played a day before, bringing in the likelihood of fatigue. They also had trouble giving service to the guys up front, which explains the struggles in the attack. When I spoke to Coach Chad Henry after the game, he gave me another factor that caused them to fall short today. Coach Henry said,

“[The Panthers] had some older guys, some seniors that have played together. I have a younger group. So yesterday we played better, today we looked a little off.”

Coach Henry also mentioned that his young team did not have great chemistry when it came to linking up. As a result, there were many instances of miscommunication when it came to the Wolves passing the ball. The lack of experience on the Wolves’ side was telling, which shows why they had a tough time in this game.

Coach Chad Henry believes in his guys to perform despite the loss. He says that his young team is growing together and they will be in better form in the future. The Wolves will now turn their focus to Taylor County, as they will host them on November 29.