Wildcats net another win on new home pitch

By RANDY LIST

There was no let up or letdown from the Salem Community High School soccer team.

Just 48 hours after arguably the biggest win in the program’s history, the Wildcats maintained the momentum from Thursday’s win over Highland with another victory on their new home pitch by overwhelming Roxana 9-0 Saturday morning.

Salem has won five straight since a season-opening defeat to Murphysboro while the Shells are 1-4.

After a 2-1 win over previously unbeaten and perennial power Highland on Thursday in their first match at the new soccer complex on South College Street, the Wildcats went back at it early on Saturday morning.

“I told them about how it doesn’t matter who we’re playing,” said Salem coach Cory Purintun. “Our intensity has to stay the same. Today we kept talking to each other and made good passes. We’re working hard and playing well as a team, and that’s all I can ask of them.”

In eight minutes Salem had a 1-0 lead as Caleb Purintun’s through ball criss-crossed to the right side of the field to Austin Woolridge who lined in a shot from 20 yards out.

Seven minutes later, Eli Baker — despite heavy coverage by the Shells’ backline — punched one in from the left side — to make it 2-0. It was his 14th goal of the season.

“Teams mark up on Eli but we have other weapons, and when he does get the ball, he distributes it well,” said Cory Purintun. “Right foot, left foot, it doesn’t matter.”

Less than 60 seconds later, Robby Shober — who arrived shortly before the kickoff after having run for the cross country Wildcats at the Granite City Invitational earlier in the morning — fed Caleb Purintun to cap a 2-on-1 break for a three-goal difference.

Following that was a goal by Holden Richardson that bounced past the keeper through a maze of players in the crease in the 20th minute. Salem had another shot hit the post, another carom off the crossbar and Woolridge just missed connecting on a header before the Wildcats fired in three more goals in a five-minute span before the half to go ahead 7-0.

Shober had a goal on an assist from Nate Lowery two minutes into the second half, and Woolridge finished the scoring in the 45th minute on the Wildcats’ 23rd and final shot of the match.

Caleb Purintun and Woolridge had two goals each with Payton Gullion, Alex Spencer, Richardson, Shober, and Baker having one apiece. Purintun had three assists, Baker two and Shober and Lowery one each. Salem keeper Kory Keele handled one shot by the Shells — a long-range, bounding try by Dean Cundari in the 35th minute.

The Wildcats are undefeated since a season-opening 5-3 loss at Murphysboro.

“That was a bummer but it happens,” said Cory Purintun. “They (Murphysboro) came out and did the things that we didn’t, so I think it kind of lit a fire underneath them (his players). It’s stayed in the back of their minds that ‘Hey, we lost that one but we’ve got to keep on playing,’ and that’s what they’ve been doing.”

The Wildcats moved to the multiple field South College location for this season although the Lady Wildcats had played there in the spring. They’d previously played on the pitch at the First Christian Church on West Boone Street.

“We appreciate everything FCC did for us,” said Cory Purintun. “This (complex) is nice and we thank Matt Stanford and all the sponsors and everyone who helped get this started.

“It’s great that when we’re playing to have all the younger kids (from adjacent fields) come over to watch us. It’s pretty darn cool to see because it means a lot and it’s helping develop our program.”