The Marauders got their sixth straight win this past weekend in soccer, turning away Page High School in a 4-0 victory at home Saturday, Jan. 7.
Mingus Union High School, which improved to 6-1 overall this season after the 4-nil win Saturday, bumped up its state ranking to No. 7 overall in Division III.
“Our coach said at the beginning of the year that we have to win the games we are supposed to, and so far we have done that,” Marauders team co-captain Austin Strobel said. “It’s been a good season and we hope to keep it that way. Winning feels good and we hope to continue to make it a habit.”
The Marauders took a 1-0 lead near the 20-minute mark when sophomore midfielder Cristian Escobar netted a score off an assist from senior Williams Dominguez.
It was the first of three goals for Escobar against Page, recording his first hat trick of the 2011-2012 campaign.
Escobar scored twice more in the second half against the Sand Devils, each of which was assisted by Dominguez. The three assists by Dominguez were a season high for the senior midfielder.
Scoring the fourth goal of the afternoon against Page for the Marauders was freshman midfielder Elias Pondeca off an assist from junior Braeden Wills, making it 4-0, which was the final.
The Marauders have been on quite a roll recently, winning six straight, but more importantly, dominating offensively.
In the three matches against Joy Christian Academy, Coconino and Page high schools, the Marauders outshot their opponents 75-11, outscoring them 14-1.
“We’ve really pounded the goal these last few matches, and Coconino was our first true test since the beginning of the season,” Mingus Head Coach Cade Densmore said.
Mingus and Coconino were tied 1-1 on Friday, Jan. 6, before the Marauders claimed a victory in penalty kicks after 100 minutes of soccer.
Mingus senior and co-captain Alex Contreras believes the Marauders are only going to get better.
“We’re on a great streak these last few games, and we are doing the right thing and we’re getting better every day. If we continue to put the ball in the back of the net, we can finish the season on a long winning streak,” Contreras said.
Next up for Mingus, the Marauders are scheduled to host Prescott High School on Thursday, Jan. 12. It is the first of two meetings against the Badgers for Mingus.
Prescott is currently a perfect 3-0 to begin the 2011-2012 season in Arizona Interscholastic Association power point play. Official start time is set for 5 p.m.
