Solon blanks Iowa Mennonite in boys’ soccer season opener

SOLON — The new season brought some changes for the Solon boys' soccer team. For one, senior Brandan Childs was front and center as a scorer, and for another, corner kicks have suddenly become a weapon.

The Spartans beat Iowa Mennonite School 6-0 Thursday at chilly Spartan Stadium in the season opener for both teams.

Solon had near total possession in IMS's half and scored five times to take a 5-0 lead at halftime.

'Last year we struggled putting the ball in the net, but when we play quick and we move off the ball we can be very dangerous,' Solon Coach Jeremy McMurrin said.

Childs, who scored five goals in all of the 2015 season, scored the first two. The first came in the third minute right in front of goal, and the second was from the top of the box in the 21st minute.

'I'll do whatever my coach wants me to do,' Childs said, deflecting the suggestion that he would be a top scorer. 'We've got to makesure we keep playing as a team and the ball falls in the back of the net, whoever puts it in.'

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After that the floodgates opened. The Spartans scored off two corners, first in the 32nd minute by Simon Duster and then in the 35th by Zach Melchert. Melchert scored when the ball glanced off his shoulder in the scrum in front of the net.

'We didn't score off a corner all last year,' McMurrin said.

Parker Mueller scored on a penalty kick in the 39th minute. IMS managed just one shot in the first half, that coming in the 38th minute. Joe Regan scored on a chip shot over the IMS keeper in the 51st minute.

IMS had two good chances in the second half, but Jacob Boller's one-on-one shot went right to the keeper and Jacob Schmieder's attempt in front of goal went wide.

'We played pretty well (defensively), moving off the ball. We need to work on our movement up the sides, but other than that we did our job,' defender Nick Radcliffe said.