With their longtime football season on the shelf, the Fulton Maroons fielded a senior boys soccer team for the first time Tuesday, stopping the Kalamalka Lakers 3-1 at Marshall Field.
It was a very competitive and entertaining North Zone AA league game which saw the Lakers grab an early lead before Fulton battled back to win on a hat trick by Mike Bennett.
Bennett scored his first goal on a well-placed penalty after a Fulton forward was bundled to the ground on a clumsy challenge inside the penalty area in the first half.
Midway through the second half, Bennett put Fulton up by a goal when he took a feed and ripped a 22-yarder off Kal keeper Sean Bradbury’s left post.
His third goal came off another penalty after Victor Gouchee was brought down in the box with five minutes to go.
“Michael was huge for us today,” said Fulton head coach Wayne Aasen. “He led by example from the moment he took the coin toss until he left the field.”
Aasen said it has been a challenge teach a group of players, including some international students that do not really know each other, a system of play but said the Maroons were “ticking along quite nicely by the end of the game.”
Added Aasen: “I could not be more pleased by their performance. Everyone got better as the game progressed and Sean Greene and Austin Richardson were outstanding at centerback today.
“We are very fortunate to have the two best goalkeepers in the league in Victor Gouchee and Luis Lins. They were awesome sharing the goal today. I am pleased and excited that some of the players approached me to coach the team and that I am able to help them out.”
Fulton plays Tuesday in Salmon Arm against Kings Christian and then visit the A.L. Fortune Falcons Thursday in Enderby.
The Lakers face the Seaton Sonics and the Pleasant Valley Saints meet the VSS Panthers in other Tuesday action.
