By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
MONTICELLO — Even short-handed, North Pulaski’s soccer teams had little trouble against Monticello on Monday evening.
Ellen Weld scored twice in the Lady Falcons’ 7-0 win, while Greg West scored four times in the boys 6-2 victory. The girls improved to 3-2-1, while the boys are now 4-3.
“I was happy with the performance since we had so many kids out,” North Pulaski coach Tony Buzzitta said. Nine players from both teams were away at a band function, including two starters for the Lady Falcons and three from the boys team. “We got to play a lot of young players who hadn’t been in before.”
Brittany Hettinger and Tara Taykowski each scored for North Pulaski to stake the Lady Falcons to a 2-0 lead.
A Monticello defender made it 3-0 when she knocked the ball in her own goal on a clearing attempt. NP led 4-0 at the half after Brandi Glover’s goal.
Weld scored the next two goals after intermission and Stephanie Alvis capped the scoring.
The boys fell behind just a minute into the game, but Cole Tucker tied it a minute later offan assist from West. West then reeled off three straight goals to put NP up 4-1 at the half. His first was unassisted, and Evan Weld and Cole Tucker delivered assists on the next two.
Tucker padded the lead in the second half and, after a Monticello goal, West took the ball through the defense to finish off the scoring.
Last Thursday, Central Arkansas Christian took advantage of a 30 mile-per-hour tailwind in the first half to score five goals and hold on for a 5-1 win.
“They’re a very good team,” said Buzzitta. “They’ve been to the state semifinals three years in a row.”
West scored North Pulaski’s goal on an assist from Mathew Ingersoll. NP fell to 3-3.
“We just couldn’t get the ball out of our end in the first half, and CAC recognized that and played really aggressive. They just kept cheating up closer and closer.
“To be honest with you, I was proud of the way our kids fought though it. We could have had our heads down, but we played well in the second half against their starters.”
North Pulaski opens conference play at Paragould on Thursday.
