Bruin Boys Soccer Handles Illinois Valley to Collect 4th Win

October 14, 2022

Senior, Josh Serna, making the save from the back post on the Cougar corner kick.

Head coach John Silveira and his BHHS Bruin varsity boys soccer team were home Thursday afternoon, hosting the 0-8-1 Illinois Valley High School Cougars.

The Cougars, were surprisingly able to keep pace with the Bruin boys early in the match, using passing and fast break opportunities to create scoring opportunities against a stingy Bruin defense.

Sophomore forward, Edgar Garcia, #12, blocked by the keeper.

The aggressive play of #14, junior, Wyatt Harms, was welcomed back to the Bruin defense and as the game progressed the Cougars found it more difficult to continue their offensive game-plan as the Bruins attacked of of defensive takeaways.

Junior defender Wyatt Harms. #14, clearing the backfield.

The Bruins began to keep the ball pushed up against the backline of the Cougar defense, probing for openings to push a through-ball between defenders for a fast break opportunity.

With the ball loose in front of the goal, sophomore Tanner Anderson, #17, collected the loose ball and found the back of the net to put the Bruins boys up 1-0 at the 30 minute mark of the first half of play.

Senior forward, Diego Turner, #8, establishing position.

Just two minutes later, with the Bruins attacking the goal behind the Cougar defense, a Bruins forward was fouled in the penalty box, sending senior Josh Serna, #30, to penalty spot, putting the Bruin boys up 33 minutes into the first half, to take a 2-0 lead into the break.

Junior, Silas Pieper, #6, stopping an Illinois Valley attack.

In the second half the Bruin boys established control of the mid-field and pressured the Cougar defense deep in their own half, scoring a third goal off of a corner-kick after #17, Tanner Anderson headed the cross past the keeper, giving the Bruins a 3-0 lead in the 68th minute.

Sophomore Tanner Anderson, #17, getting control of the ball, had two goals in the game.

Illinois Valley was forced to sacrifice defense to attack the Bruin goal, opening their back line to one-on-one fast break opportunities that put their goalkeeper under pressure.

That back field pressure would result in junior forward, Peter Goode, #2, forcing a goalkeeper mistake late that he would take control of and finish, extending the Bruin lead to 4-0 late in the game.

Junior forward, Peter Goode, #2, finding the goal after forcing the goalkeeper error.

After completing the win, the now 4-5 Bruin boys will travel to Medford Saturday, to take on the undefeated St. Mary’s Crusaders in a showdown at high noon.