PHOTO BY BRIAN HOFFMAN
The Glenvar High soccer team started defense of their 2024 state championships when they took on Franklin County with mixed results Monday. The boys opened the season with a 6-0 win in Rocky Mount but the girls lost at home, 3-1.
Kees Van Gerven scored the boys’ first goal off a Seth Nichols assist. Wesley Feliciano scored the next goal as Aidan Hylton found him in behind the defense. Then Van Gerven con-nected with Adam Saunders for the third goal of the first half as the Highlanders held a 3-0 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Tyler Curfiss scored early from a Saunders assist, then Felciano and Luke Farmer added goals as Cooper Mullins and Alex Rottkamp col-lected assists. Grayson Shepherd and Tyler Shannon combined for the shutout in the net.
“It was a solid first game for our guys,” said coach Josh Jones. “I thought we did a good job of playing through some of the physical play and executing on the offensive end.”
The girls found Franklin County to be a formidable foe at home Monday. Sawyer Wilson scored the Highlanders’ only goal off an assist from Cam Stevens.
Both teams were scheduled to return to the pitch on Wednesday evening, with the girls at Giles and the boys at the Smith River Sports Complex in Martinsville to face Magna Vista.
