Williamstown boys booters blank Nitro, 1-0
Keeper Baylor Haught gets the shutout
Photo by Jay W. Bennett Williamstown’s Gavin Bosgraf beats Nitro’s Corey Engle to the ball during first-half action Saturday. The Yellowjackets improved to 7-5-1 following the 1-0 victory.
Photo by Jay W. Bennett Williamstown's Josh Erb (22) and Brandon Kiger (23), who were honored on senior day, change direction in an attempt to make a play on the ball before Nitro's Bradley Lewis (21) can during the Yellowjackets' 1-0 triumph Saturday afternoon.
Photo by Jay W. Bennett Williamstown’s Gavin Bosgraf beats Nitro’s Corey Engle to the ball during first-half action Saturday. The Yellowjackets improved to 7-5-1 following the 1-0 victory.
Photo by Jay W. Bennett Williamstown's Josh Erb (22) and Brandon Kiger (23), who were honored on senior day, change direction in an attempt to make a play on the ball before Nitro's Bradley Lewis (21) can during the Yellowjackets' 1-0 triumph Saturday afternoon.
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WILLIAMSTOWN -- Nitro had a few chances here Saturday on senior day, but host Williamstown pitched a 1-0 shutout with Baylor Haught in goal as the Yellowjackets of head coach Jason Hill extended their unbeaten streak to five matches.
Williamstown, now 7-5-1 with a home match at 5 p.m. Tuesday versus Linsly, found the back of the net in the 32nd minute when sophomore Seth Hammer raced across the middle of the box and fired a shot. His laser nearly deflected off the thigh of Nitro's Bradley Lewis before it zipped past goalie Alex Cavendish, who finished with eight saves.
"I'm not real tickled," coach Hill said of the effort on a day when seniors Brandon Kiger and Josh Erb were honored.
"We're two-thirds through the season and still coaching a little bit of the effort and intensity, certainly more than you'd want after being with the guys for 60 days or so ever since we started early August."
The 'Jackets were unable to turn any of Rainer Holl's four corner kicks into a goal. Lewis had Nitro's lone corner kick, but the visitors failed to score on the set piece as well.
Wildcat head coach Brandon Lacy's squad, which dropped to 1-10-2, actually had its best scoring chance on their lone corner kick.
However, Haught was able to make the save after Wildcat Ben O'Leary tried to score via a diving header with about 18 minutes left in the match.
Nitro's Corey Engle as well as the 'Jacket Kiger also had shots on goal in the 68th and 69th minutes, respectively. The Wildcats' last-ditch effort came with the clocking winding below 30 seconds when Austin Jackson booted a long shot from the left of the field toward the right post, but it was too wide and Haught easily scooped it up.
"Obviously, pleased with the win and we haven't dropped a game in a couple weeks with three wins and a tie," added coach Hill, who received six saves from Haught.
"Things are good there on the results side, but we've got to keep climbing. That's what we've talked about, really asking the boys not to take plays off, ball-watch and be part of every single scenario they can."
In the 45th minute, Holl's corner kick was headed by Hammer, but Cavendish made the save.
Williamstown also had a shot in the 48th minute by Aiden Roberts, but it was too high and wide.
An O'Leary through ball in the 61st minute to Engle went for naught thanks to solid defense by Holl.
Nitro actually had the first shot on goal just two minutes in thanks to O'Leary. WHS got its first chance in the fifth minute with Garret Hill's direct kick, but Hammer's header went high.
In the 16th minute, Payton Stevens headed a corner kick, which was then headed by 'Jacket teammate Josh Erb. Although Hammer ended up getting a shot on goal out of it, Cavendish made the stop.
With about three minutes left before intermission, Nitro's Jose Torres passed to Chaynce McDowell, but his shot was wide right.
Luke West also had a shot on goal in the 38th minute, but he wasn't able to get a solid foot on it as Cavendish had an easy save.
Nitro returns to action at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when Oak Hill invades.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com