By Kohlton Kober
Index Sports Writer
The West Liberty girls’ soccer team started its 2024 campaign splitting the week capturing a 4-0 victory over Columbus in their opener before falling at home 8-0 to Clear Creek-Amana.
In the Comets’ opener, they matched up against Columbus.
The Comets seized control of the match from the early going as sophomore Jacky Molina found the back of the net for the Comets’ first goal of the season.
Shortly thereafter, senior Nellie Stagg took advantage of a second opportunity netting the Comets’ second goal.
Sophomore Katherin Barten scored the Comets’ third goal on the half from the penalty spot as time ticked away toward halftime.
The Comets controlled the matchup 3-0 going into the break.
Freshman Briscia Garcia-Vasquez found the Comets’ fourth goal, their lone of the second half, as they cruised to a 4-0 victory away from home.
On Friday, the Comets matched up against Clear Creek-Amana for the first time on their new home pitch.
It took both teams untill the later stages of the opening half before they began to settle in, as the visiting Clippers netted their first of eight goals in the 25th minute.
Clear Creek-Amana mounted another pair of goals in the 38th and 40th minutes.
The Clippers would go on to hold the Comets scoreless for the duration of the contest while piling on five additional goals in the second half as the Comets fell 8-0 in their first match in their new home.
West Liberty will head to Clinton Thursday and home Mediapolis on Friday to conclude their second week of play. The Comets sit 1-1 overall, yet to dig into their conference slate.
Boys build to dramatic finish
Like the girls, the West Liberty boys’ soccer team split their opening week, earning a 4-0 victory over Columbus on the road and falling in an overtime loss to Clear Creek Amana.
It took the Comets a while to settle into their contest with Columbus on Monday.
The breakthrough would come in the 21st minute for the Comets, as a deflected clearance from the Wildcat defense ricocheted off the legs of senior David Mahoney to give the Comets their first goal of the season.
The Comets would score their second following a buildup play where the ball found its way to Mahoney for the second time, who netting his second goal for eight yards out in the 33rd minute.
West Liberty found its third goal of the night in the 51st minute thanks to a goal from sophomore Uriel Andrade that worked its way past the keeper, finding the netting of the far post.
Anwar Garcia tallied the Comets fourth goal of the night, scoring for just outside the penalty box in the 72nd minute to put the Comets at their final tally of four to start their season with a victory.
On Friday, the Comets headed to Tiffin to play Clear Creek-Amana.
Neither side was able to muster a goal in the opening half, but that wouldn’t slow the teams as they exploded for four total goals in the second half.
Each team scored two which sent the contest into overtime.
The Comets found their first goal following a senior Bruce Songa freekick that the Clipper keeper was unable to handle.
Andrade managed to clip the ball over the keepers’ head to put the ball in the far netting, as the Comets drew even in the 47th minute.
He went on to score the second Comet goal in the 70th minute to give the Comets a 2-1 advantage following a mishandled back pass from the Clippers’ defense.
Clear Creek-Amana went on to equalize in the 76th minute to send the match into overtime. Neither team found the winner in the first sudden death overtime, but the Clippers found the winner three minutes into the second overtime period to capture a 3-2 victory.
The Comets will head to Cedar Rapids Friday for a matchup against Jefferson before headed to Cascade next Monday to take on the Cougars.