By Fred Kroner
Dylan Diaz scored a season-high four goals on Thursday (Sept. 9) as Oakwood/Salt Fork ran its soccer winning streak to four matches with a 7-2 triumph at home over Rantoul.
Diaz notched two goals in each half.
Oakwood/Salt Fork led 3-1 at intermission.
Macen Phillips and Joe Lashuay also hit goals for the Comets.
Saul Carrillo and Brody Taflinger each ended with two assists.
Josh Ruch collected two keeper saves.
Oakwood/Salt Fork went 2-2 in the two-day Cornjerker Classic, in Hoopeston, which ended on Saturday (Sept 11).
The Comets opened with an 8-0 win over Clifton Central, then fell to Bloomington Central Catholic, 2-1, before rebounding to whip Hoopeston Area, 4-2. In their tourney finale, Oakwood/SF was shut out by Monticello, 4-0, in the third-place match.
Lashuay and Cooper Myers each netted two goals against Clifton. Also getting in on the scoring action were Diaz, Phillips, Carrillo and Reef Pacot.
Diaz and Pacot had assists as did Carlie Thompson, Ty Smoot and Grant Powell.
Ruch produced three saves.
Against BCC, the lone Comet goal was courtesy of Diaz, assisted by Lashuay. Ruch had 10 saves.
Against Hoopeston, Powell had two goals and one assist. Other goals were by Pacot and Phillips. Ruch collected five saves.
Despite the shutout loss to Monticello, Oakwood/SF has outscored its opponents 52-23 thus far this season.
Ruch had seven saves against the Sages.
Through 13 matches, six Oakwood/Salt Fork players have hit at least five goals, led by Powell with 12. Four players have at least five assists, led by Powell with 10.
Oakwood/Salt Fork (8-5) returns to action on Tuesday (Sept. 14) at Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin.
