A pair of defending state champions tangled in The Tank on Friday, and May River’s boys claimed shark supremacy with a 5-3 win over visiting Oceanside Collegiate.
Conner Golden scored a pair of goals and assisted on two more to lead the host Sharks to an impressive win over the defending Class 2A champion Landsharks.
OCA opened the scoring in the first minute, but Golden responded in the fifth minute with a goal off a Rafa Zavala assist. Chris Pineda gave the Sharks the lead in the 18th minute, and Zeke Chappelear finished off an assist from Golden in the 36th minute to give May River a 3-1 halftime advantage.
The Landsharks again struck gold early in the half, converting a penalty in the 45th minute to trim the margin to one goal, but the Sharks took control the rest of the way. Chris Hernandez scored his first goal of the season off Golden assist in the 63rd minute, and Golden converted an assist from Sean Hamby in the 70th minute to put it out of reach.
OCA scored off a free kick in the 76th minute, but the Landsharks couldn’t draw any closer.
“This was probably the first time this season we played our game for a full match,” May River coach Misael Garzon said. “The team responded well to early adversity and did a great job limiting Oceanside’s attack. Oceanside has always been a traditionally tough match, and we knew we had to work hard to come out victorious.”
UP NEXT
The Sharks (4-1) host Battery Creek to open region play at 7 p.m. Tuesday.