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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

HELENA – With the final full month of the season in front of them, the Helena Huskies boys and girls soccer teams each posted an offensive surge to start April off on a positive note, defeating the Ramsay Rams and the Hueytown Golden Gophers.

The girls put together a stifling defeat over Ramsay 11-0 before taking down Hueytown just two days later 10-0. Meanwhile, the boys also handled the Rams 10-0, but had to go the distance and then some to win over the Golden Gophers 1-0, coming out on top 6-5 in penalty kicks.

The Huskies girls took care of business on Tuesday, April 1, putting Ramsay away early in just 35 minutes of action. Helena scored all 11 of its goals in the first half of play, making it the second consecutive contest to score in double figures.

Baileigh Rumage highlighted the match, continuing her phenomenal junior campaign with four goals and one assist. She was the only player to score multiple goals on the night, as the other seven came from different players. Kate Nunley, Saylor Peterson, Kate Hendrix, Nathalie Morris, Madeleine Blumstein, Kendall Payton and Maddie Vincent all etched their names on the scoreboard as well.

Two days later on Thursday, April 3, the Huskies came back and put on much of the same performance in a win over Hueytown. Hendrix kicked the scoring off in the 14th minute after getting hold of a pass from Ava Garner, scoring a goal after two touches.

In the 21st minute, Helena was awarded a penalty kick on a handball, and Carson Copeland stepped up to put it in the back of the net to make it a 2-0 game. Then in the 32nd minute, Hannah Brunson picked up a goal from the top of the key to make it 3-0.

Rumage then began her ferocious night, getting it through to Hendrix in the 38th minute, who struck it in for her second goal. The pair worked together again in the 45th minute, as Rumage put a ball over the top into the box, finding Hendrix again for another goal.

In the 54th minute, Brunson got a through ball to Hendrix, who scored her fourth goal of the night. Just four minutes later, Rumage intercepted a goal kick and from 25 yards out, cranked it into the back of the net. She scored her second goal of the night shortly after in the 63rd minute with a pass from Hendrix, scoring a one-on-one goal. 

Rumage kept things going though, as she got a pass to Addison Foxworth in the 68th minute, who put it in the back of the net. Then, in the 72nd minute, the scoring was capped off after a corner from Hendrix deflected off of Foxworth and found Vincent for the score to make it 10-0.

Between the two games, the Huskies outscored their opponents 21-0, dominating both games with ease and energy.

The boys posed the same kind of domination to Ramsay on April 1, laying down the hammer with a 10-0 victory at home to complete the sweep of the Rams from both teams.

However, things were not so simple in Helena’s contest with Hueytown. While the Huskies found opportunities for most of the contest, they could never get their shots on target on a windy night in Hueytown. 

After regulation and two golden goal overtimes, things were still scoreless, so the two squads headed for penalty kicks. Those kicks went the full distance.

With the count sitting at 2-2, the Golden Gophers’ third attempt was saved, but Helena was called for jumping the line, allowing Hueytown another shot, which it made. 

Following that shot, both teams remained perfect and stayed that way through five shots each. The Golden Gophers then missed their sixth shot, and with the game on the line, Ryan Borden stepped up and knocked it home to win it, and Helena escaped to victory.

As a result of all four games, the boys and girls won by a combined score of 32-0, owning the competition and giving themselves some great momentum. 

The girls also defeated Leeds in dominant fashion by a score of 9-0 on Friday, April 4, continuing their hot streak.

With the wins, both teams now prepare for a road test at Indian Springs on Tuesday, April 8, with the girls kicking off at 5:30 p.m. and the boys kicking off at 7 p.m.