MARYSVILLE The way the Marysville Thorns defense played up to midfield to support their offense made each of 16-year-old Dimitri Ogognibenes breakaway goals look like basketball fast breaks to the net.
Ogognibene led his teams attack, using his speed to advantage in one-on-one match-ups with defenders as he bore down on the goalkeepers net. He scored five goals, leading his Marysville Predators to their first win in the Marysville Youth Soccer league Nov. 3, a 6-3 victory over the Thorns.
The teams had played to a tie in a match earlier this season.
In the games first 15 minutes, the Predator striker bore his teams offense on his shoulders, scoring twice. His first attempt was blocked by Thorns goalkeeper Benji Weishaars feet, but the ball bounced off Weishaar toward Ogognibene, and he didnt miss on the rebound.
Ogognibene dropped back to defense after his second goal, tired from his efforts, said Predators coach Scott Griffin. But not long after a Thorns goal by Josh Buxton very early into the second half, narrowing the score to 2-1, the Predator moved back up front, scoring goals three and four for his team.
Griffin said much of his team struggled with fatigue as the game went on. He attributed the Predators exhaustion to their aggressive play, but acknowledged it might have cost his team a few goals in the second half.
Despite Ogognibenes game-winning goal, the Thorns rallied from a tough first half in which the Predators out-attacked them two to one. In the second half, they controlled the ball and led attacks, apparently with no plans of giving up, despite deficits as large as four points.
Thorns coach Lou Martinez said that despite his teams winless record, hes happy with how his players compete under circumstances. The team played no subs thanks to a barebones roster hurt by players lost to the select Pacific Premier league.
This year doesnt seem to be our year, he added. But we played better with fewer players than we played all year.
Buxton found the net again after a fifth Predator goal by forward Sam Christopher, beating Predator goaltender Kyle Wilkins late in the game. Ogognibene answered with his fifth goal, but the Thorns Josh Balka kept it a three-point game with a goal in the closing minutes.
I think were twice the team we were at the beginning of the season, Griffin said of his Predators. Were talking more, passing more.
Goalkeeper Jesse Quinn recorded a shutout first half in the net for his Predators, before moving out to defense in the second half.