Parkersburg’s Landen Deuley (3) tries to steal possession away from Cabell Midland’s Caden Ours (25) during Thursday’s high school boys soccer match at Stadium Field in Parkersburg. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – Parkersburg’s ambush did not kill the spirits of Cabell Midland.

Instead, the Knights returned the favor shortly after then tacked on two more goals to defeat the Big Reds 3-1 in a high school boys soccer match Thursday at Stadium Field.

Not even two minutes into the match, Parkersburg’s Landen Deuley tracked down a pass down the sideline deep in Cabell Midland territory and fired a sidewinder – catching the Knights keeper completely off guard for the game’s first goal with 38:04 still showing on the first half clock.

“Landen gives everything he has and is just a talent,” PHS coach Ben Jones said. “Honestly, it happened so quickly I couldn’t even tell you who made the pass downfield.”

Parkersburg moves to 3-4-0, while Cabell Midland improves to 2-2-2. In one match, the Knights matched their season output in goals. Griffin Stubbs evened the score at 1-1 seven minutes into the first half and appeared the stalemate would take the two teams into the locker room.

Parkersburg’s Austin Westmoreland (15) and Cabell Midland’s Malik Baryun (10) both challenge for possession during a high school boys soccer match, Thursday at Stadium Field in Parkersburg. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“The kids were super resilient to come back from that first (PHS) goal, especially with it coming in the first two minutes of the match,” Cabell Midland coach Jon Casto said. “Most teams would put their head down and stay down for the rest of the game. But we fought back and got right back into the game.”

However, Malik Baryun received an assist from Austin Petts in front of the Big Red net and found a crease for his first goal of the season and the eventual game-winning goal with four ticks left on the clock.

“That goal set it up for our second half,” Casto said. “It may have been the goal of the season for us.”

While Cabell Midland rotated keeper for the first and second half between Connor Prichard and Karsen Cremeans, the Big Reds relied on Phillip Mixson as their stopper.

Mixson had his hands full throughout the second half and was up to the task until Cabell Midland broke through one last time and 2:43 remaining in regulation. In this sequence, Baryun took on the role of playmaker and found Isaac Napier in the right spot for a goal originating from just inside the box.

Parkersburg’s Jack McLean, middle, sprints towards the loose ball against Cabell Midland’s Nathaniel Bowen (5) during Friday’s high school boys soccer match at Stadium Field in Parkersburg. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PHS will have a week to prepare for its next week when it hosts George Washington back in its home surroundings.

“Thankfully we have a week off to kind of regroup, get healthy and work on a few things,” Jones said. “Against George Washington, hopefully we will see our best effort there.”

Cabell Midland has allowed just five goals through six games. Putting together a consistent scoring threat has been an issue. Casto hopes Thursday’s win helps them turn the corner in that regard

“We have been kind of struggling getting goals – today is huge moving forward,” Casto said. “The sky’s the limit, so that’s the way we are looking at things.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com.