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John Marshall Boys Earn First Victory

Eskridge Scores a Pair In Beating Edison, 5-1

Photo by Josh Strope John Marshall’s Wesley Eskridge moves with the ball Saturday morning against Edison. The senior scored two goals in a 5-1 victory.

GLEN DALE — It has been a rough start to the season for the John Marshall boys’ soccer team following a pair of lopsided losses to Three Rivers Conference rivals Brooke and Morgantown.

But Monarchs coach Jesus Marin likes the makeup of his team and sees a light at the end of the tunnel.

John Marshall finally got in the win column Saturday morning with a well-rounded 5-1 victory against Edison.

“We played two hard games to start the season,” Marin said. “This feels good. Finally to get a ‘W’ and we will take it from there and hopefully more ‘Ws’ will come.

“They are working together more as a team. The first game we were just chasing the ball and against Morgantown, we saw we were more cohesive. (Saturday), they are talking and playing together as a group. They are becoming one instead of individuals.”

Leading the way for the Monarchs (1-2) was senior Wesley Eskridge.

Eskridge put John Marshall on the board early with two goals in the first 11 minutes.

In the 10th minute, Eskridge took a pass from teammate Oliver Miller and beat Edison goalie Kyle Griffith for a 1-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, he took a free kick from 20 yards out and lofted it over Griffith’s outstretched hands.

While not credited with a goal, Eskridge was around the ball on play in the Edison box that resulted in an own goal and a 3-0 Monarchs lead.

He also added an assist on a goal right before the half ended, crossing the ball to Cooper Curto, who buried it and gave the Monarchs more than enough cushion heading into the final 40 minutes.

When Eskridge wasn’t leading with his play, he was doing so with his voice.

The senior was a coach on the field during the game and following in the postgame speech, putting his teammates in the right spot and showing encouragement.

“We have a lot of seniors, 12 seniors, so we have experience and I think those seniors will carry us,” Marin said. “Wesley is a senior captain, played soccer for four years for us. He is our center-mid and that means he is the heart of our team.

“Without him, we don’t function. He is a very vocal person and trying to set up everyone around. If it wasn’t for him, somebody would have to step up. But right now, we are glad we have him there in the middle because he is doing is job.”

John Marshall kept the momentum going in the second half, scoring three minutes in as Curto’s shot was wide and off the post, but Cameron Anderson was there to clean up the rebound and put into the net.

Edison (1-4) avoided a shutout in the 81st minute when Carter Montgomery, one of two seniors for the Wildcats, beat John Marshall netminder Gabe Carman on a penalty shot.

“I think we are still a growing team and games like this happen,” Edison coach Andy Lesnansky said. “A few things didn’t go our way and that is how soccer goes sometimes.

“I am really proud of my team. Obviously, you never walk away too happy after a loss, but we are growing, getting better every single game and that is what I am worried about right now.

“The attitude is better and we are talking more, communicating more. I can hear them talking to each other and saying them the right way. We are growing and every single game I see things we are doing to improve and as a coach, what more can I ask for?”

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