Butcher scores twice as PHS blanks Princeton, 4-0
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PARKERSBURG -- A dominating first half during a hot Saturday afternoon at Stadium Field powered Parkersburg to a convincing 4-0 triumph versus Princeton in the season opener for both programs.
Second-year head coach Billy Shedd got a shutout from Aiden Merritt and the Big Reds received the only goal they needed when senior Kota Butcher beat Tiger keeper Ashton Burgess with a pass from Gabe Cantwell that led to a tally in the 10th minute.
The Big Reds added their second goal when Riley Smith assisted fellow senior Terrance Wright in the 16th minute. Less than a minute later, Butcher found the back of the net again, this time via an assist from junior Tanner Marlow.
Shortly after that goal, Princeton junior Ashton Bailey exited the match due to the heat.
Princeton found itself trailing 4-0 at intermission when sophomore Brayden Tingler scored off an assist from Tanner Marlow with 7:10 left in the half.
The Tigers were unable to muster much versus the Big Reds' defense. In the 19th minute, Parker Hopkins had a deep throw-in, but nothing materialized. In the 49th minute, Andrew Paskowski tried to make a run, but was thwarted. Ty Thompson had a nice through in the 59th minute to Brandon Sheppard, but the Tigers couldn't get a shot on goal.
Parkersburg, which returns to action Tuesday evening at Capital, had other numerous opportunities to score throughout the match. In the 28th minute, junior Bryce Henthorn sent a through pass to Tingler, but his low liner was saved by a diving Burgess. Senior midfielder Tristan Brogan nearly scored after Tingler made it 4-0. In the 63rd minute, 10th-grader Gabe Cantwell had a shot go off the frame.
Casey Geso had a 40-yard direct kick go above the net in the 65th minute and the Tigers also were unable to score on their only corner kick in the 68th minute, which was taken by Mason Bolton.
"First half, I mean, we worked so much on footwork and passing and when you bring it from the grass field out front to on here you expect it to get a little bit better, but some of those passes were pretty good," said coach Shedd, who got solid defensive efforts from Smith as well as fellow seniors Grant Miller, Tanner Minnite and Sammy McCale. "I wasn't expecting some of that stuff, but we got a lot to work on. It was good."
Coach Shedd also noted of Bailey "they brought the ambulance in and hopefully he's alright. Princeton, those guys are first class and I really like the coach (Robbie Fix) and the team. I really do appreciate them coming up and playing us."
PHS was unable to capitalize on its nine corner kicks, eight of which were taken by sophomore Connor Gribble.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newandsentinel.com