The Rome Free Academy men’s soccer team won their third straight game on Tuesday afternoon at RFA Stadium, beating Tri-Valley League foe Camden 8-1.
“The boys played well,” said FRG head coach Chad Reese. “We were able to get time for the boys who needed playing time. They worked hard in training and they deserved it. I thought they were playing well. It’s good to have three games in a row and gain momentum. Hope we can continue throughout the week.
Camden scored the game’s first goal after five minutes. Troy Campbell directed a service ball to a corner in front of FRG goalkeeper Max Hilderbran to give the Blue Devils the 1-0 lead. Hilderbran made a save for the Black Knights.
“We still can’t give up those corners,” said Reese. “It’s sort of the Achilles heel of giving up goals from a corner. Until we clean that up, we’re going to give up goals. “
Then RFA responded straight away.
First-year forward Paul Zimmerman fired a shot past Camden goalkeeper Jack Chase to tie it at 1 with just under 34 minutes left in the first half.
The Black Knights took the lead in earnest when Ethan Larkin scored his first goal of the game with just under 32 minutes left.
Jack Anderegg added a goal on a ball that went through Camden’s defense. Anderegg made a run for the ball and Chase came out of the goal, but Anderegg pulled his shot in for Rome’s third goal.
Raheem Taylor, Collin Gannon and Larkin all scored before the halftime horn sounded to give RFA a 6-1 lead before the break.
Three minutes into the second half, Zimmerman scored his second goal of the game, firing a shot that went over the bar and behind Camden goalkeeper Avery Tompkins. Anderegg scored his second goal of the game with just under 14 minutes left. Lucas Yanik got two assists for RFA and Sam Hilderbran also got an assist. Zimmerman also added an assist to his score line.
RFA, who has improved to 5-4 this season, plays again Thursday when the Black Knights visit another TVL opponent in Vernon-Verona-Sherrill at 6:30 p.m. Camden also plays again on Thursday when the Blue Devils surrender to TVL foe Whitesboro at 6. afternoon
“We can’t look past VVS,” Reese said. “I know they are going to play competitively. It could be a sleep game, so we need to be focused, ready to play. If we can do well in the league, I still think we have a chance to at least tie for a league title, which is a goal we had at the start of the season.
