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MHS boys soccer outlasts Roughriders for 1-0 win

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON - Marshalltown forward Jose Torres, second from left, is greeted by teammates Brandon Ordaz Sanchez (4) and Alex Angel Fernandez (16) after scoring the deciding goal in the Bobcats’ 1-0 win over Des Moines Roosevelt on Tuesday. MHS has won four straight after losing its season opener.

The weight of four games in four days was clear on the shoulders of the Marshalltown boys soccer team from the start of its home game against Des Moines Roosevelt on Tuesday night.

In place of the quick-start, up-tempo attack the Bobcats have shown over their recent three-game winning streak was a more methodical offense that had a hard time getting to balls.

It only took one look for MHS to get it going, however, as junior Jose Torres got a pass from Brandon Ordaz Sanchez and a little bit of space, and it was just enough for Torres to sneak the ball by Roughrider goalkeeper Ronan Murphy to give his team a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute.

That score would hold for the next 72 minutes and the Bobcats would hold on for a 1-0 win, their fourth-straigth after losing the season opener to Urbandale.

Marshalltown head boys soccer coach Scott Johannes has praised his defense throughout the season so far, but he said on a day where his team’s legs weren’t as fresh they were the difference.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON - Marshalltown’s Rene Hernandez (8) leaps for a header in the first half of the Bobcats’ 1-0 win over Des Moines Roosevelt on Tuesday at Leonard Cole Field.

“Our Defense won the game,” Johannes said. “I can’t say enough about the back line and Jesus Munoz as keeper. Roosevelt had speed and we expected them to be athletic and they were. It was a battle to the end.”

Munoz hasn’t been challenged much in the previous three wins, but he had to show up early and often against Roosevelt (2-7). Munoz turned away two great looks by the Roughriders before the Marshalltown offense could wake up, and those proved to be his only two neccessary saves of the game.

After putting up 47 shots in a 5-1 win over Newton on Monday, the Bobcats (4-1) only managed eight shots against Roosevelt, with Torres accounting for four of the eight. Johannes said that almost had more to do with the high level of competition in the Central Iowa Metro League, however.

“We continue to talk about he toughness of the CIML and tonight was proof,” he said. “Every match you have to be ready.”

Ordaz Sanchez had a shot and an assist and Alex Angel Fernandez finished with two shots for MHS.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

Marshalltown now gets a much-deserved day off but it is back on the pitch on Thursday when Norwalk comes to town. Johannes said with the way his defense has allowed only one goal in the last 380 minutes of play, it’s going to be tough for anyone to beat them when they are on their game.

“We have a long way to go this year, but at the end of the game I was thinking about our defense and the phrase ‘defense wins championships’ came to my mind,” Johannes said. “Our defense battled tonight and never stopped. They definitely got tested.”

The Bobcats and Warriors will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Leonard Cole Field.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

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