Cougars continue goal-scoring show with stroll over Eagles

North Putnam's Kaden Helderman splits the Brown County defense for a header that turns into the Cougars' sixth goal of the afternoon in a 7-1 win over the Eagles.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

BAINBRIDGE – With two WIC wins in hand to start the 2023 season, North Putnam looked to maintain its lead in the conference standings with Brown County visiting Saturday afternoon.

The Cougar offense continued its hot start to the season, pumping seven goals past the Eagles to move to 3-0 in WIC play with a 7-1 win.

“I was happy with how the game went,” North Putnam head coach Kyle Morgan said. “I thought we played a much better second half; I thought the second half was the brand of soccer we want to play all the time.”

It took time for the hosts to get into the groove with the first big chance coming from Kaden Helderman, taking a pass from Brayden Neureiter but seeing his shot parried away by Marek Reves in goal for Brown County.

Reves would beat Nolan Hackleman to a Neureiter through ball minutes later but Neureiter would open the scoring near the midway point of the half, collecting a partial clearance and burying past Reves to make it 1-0.

Hackleman saw a header go over from a cross shortly thereafter and indirectly set up the second goal, cruising in from the right and seeing a shot from his cross saved before Mythius Slagle tucked home the rebound.

Twenty seconds later it was 3-0 as the hosts regained possession from the kickoff, Hackleman sliding a pass to Matt Farrington to sweep home past Reves.

Hackleman nearly made it 4-0 20 seconds after the third but fired over while Helderman was in on goal with six minutes left until halftime but hesitated and saw Reves and a defender snuff out the chance.

Brown County was able to make a dent in the lead with three minutes to play in the half on a simple ball over the top to Carter Norcutt.

The forward split the defense and was able to poke under an onrushing Michael Ali in goal to make it 3-1 at halftime.

North Putnam pressed onward, creating several scoring opportunities before Evan Polley cashed in, taking a poor corner clearance through the Eagle ranks before poking past a stranded Reves to make it 4-1.

Brady Barber helped halt a Brown County break and drove the other direction, slotting past Reves to make it 5-1 midway through the second half.

Helderman made it 6-1 with a low header off a cross from Farrington 11 minutes from time and Hackleman finally got on the scoresheet after a goal kick was regained by the hosts, keeping his shot down to finish off the scoring eight minutes from the end.

“We possessed the ball well, capitalized on chances and controlled the tempo of the game,” Morgan said about the third conference win in three outings. “For us to be able to have seven different goal scorers and to be able to keep the ball that well shows how much we have grown as a program in the past few years.