Wheelersburg senior forward Max Hagans (2) tries to maintain possession of the ball in front of South Webster’s Dylan Shupert (3) during Tuesday night’s Southern Ohio Conference Division II boys soccer match at Wheelersburg’s Ed Miller Stadium.

Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com

WHEELERSBURG — Max Hagans is no doubt speedy, and on Tuesday night, the Wheelersburg senior soccer standout had a drive for five.

As in five, yes count ‘em up five, goals against the visiting South Webster Jeeps.

Hagans, who scored his 100th career goal only a week earlier and tacked two more on in the undefeated Pirates’4-2 triumph over Minford, hit for Wheelersburg’s first five goals —giving him 107 for his decorated career, as the Pirates pitched a 6-0 shutout inside Ed Miller Stadium.

That’s right, five more Max markers, meaning he now only trails by 10 Aaron Jolly’s career record (117) at Wheelersburg —for the most goals scored in a singular soccer career.

The fivesome from Tuesday night gave him 28 for his senior season, as he scored 47 as a junior —the exact same number (47) he has for assists over four years.

But as Hagans has said in interviews in the past, the bigger Pirate picture is Wheelersburg winning.

With Tuesday’s triumph, in stark contrast to Wheelersburg’s win over South Webster in the two teams’ initial meeting of the season on August 24, the Pirates raised their Jolly Roger —and perfect —record to 9-0-0.

Of those nine, five have been in the SOC II —as Wheelersburg appears to be closing in on another league championship, which would be its 19th, either outright or shared, in program history.

In the first matchup, amid the 90-degree heat and on the Bermuda grass turf surface at South Webster, Hagans had two second-half goals —erasing the Jeeps’ 1-0 halftime lead and resulting in a 2-1 Wheelersburg win.

This match had Max’s marks all over it —from 15 minutes in onward.

“We played a well-rounded game, offensively we were able to get Max in good spots to attack their back line and he made some unbelievable shots,” said Wheelersburg coach Jon Estep. “We were able to control the middle of the field which allowed us to stay on the attack without allowing them to pose any threat to our goal. Our defense worked well as a unit, and kept them in from pressing us for most of the evening. It was a match our guys took personal from the beginning, and came out with energy and a mindset to play to the best of our abilities.”

The Pirates piled up 20 total shots with 15 on goal, compared to only seven and three for those same statistics for the Jeeps.

Hagans had the first goal at the first half’s 25-minute mark — on a direct kick from an estimated 25 to 30 yards out.

A mere five minutes and 11 seconds later, Hagans had his fourth unanswered goal against the Jeeps over a span of 50 minutes —after he dribbled down the right side and crossed the orb into the left corner.

That goal was assisted by Nick Sylvia, then his first three of the second half in less than a dozen minutes were also helped upon.

Connor Estep, off a free kick for the first and off a throw-in with a head flick for the second, assisted on the first two —making it 3-0 with 13 minutes and 20 seconds gone by in the second, and 4-0 with only 17 minutes remaining.

Two minutes later, Hagans had his fifth and final tally for a 5-0 lead —assisted by Cooper Heimbach.

Only two-and-a-half minutes later, with 12:30 to go, the sophomore Sylvia scored his 50th career goal —as his earlier assist to Hagans was his 25th for that career department.

Hagans hit for 11 shots with nine on target, as Sylvia shot three times —with twice at the net.

Aiden McGraw with six and Sam Murphy with three combined for the Jeeps’ nine saves —as three Jeeps with one shot on goal apiece accounted for Burg’s Breyden Byrd’s three stops.

SWHS longtime head coach Corey Claxon credited the Pirates and Hagans, and that the third Wheelersburg goal indeed opened the floodgates.

The loss left the Jeeps at 6-3-0, and at 4-3-0 in the SOC II —the other loss being a 3-2 home defeat to Minford.

“There were times in this game when we looked really good, but the bottom line comes down to scoring goals and keeping them from doing the same. We lacked a certain intensity that is required in key moments, and I’m referring to in front of each goal. We have to get stronger in the air and win more of those duels,” said Claxon. “I have to give credit to Hagans for a couple outstanding shots, but we could have closed down the space better to prevent them. I thought we played well the first part of the second half, but when the momentum shifted with that third goal, we didn’t overcome it.”

Wheelersburg’s Ethan Hochstetler (21) battles South Webster’s Caden Johnson (7) for possession of the ball during Tuesday night’s Southern Ohio Conference Division II boys soccer match at Wheelersburg’s Ed Miller Stadium.

Courtesy of Terry Stevenson of www.burgsports.com

Then again, no team has stopped the Pirates this season —and so far there’s no slowing down the speedster Hagans.

* * *

South Webster 0 0 —0

Wheelersburg 2 4 —6

W — Max Hagans (direct kick), 25:03, 1st (1-0 W)

W — Max Hagans (Nick Sylvia assist), 19:52, 1st (2-0 W)

W — Max Hagans (Connor Estep assist), 26:40, 2nd (3-0 W)

W — Max Hagans (Connor Estep assist), 17:04, 2nd (4-0 W)

W — Max Hagans (Cooper Heimbach assist), 14:58, 2nd (5-0 W)

W — Nick Sylvia (unassisted), 12:30, 2nd (6-0 W)

SHOTS — South Webster 7, Wheelersburg 20

SHOTS ON GOAL — South Webster 3, Wheelersburg 15

SAVES — South Webster 9 (Aiden McGraw 6, Sam Murphy 3); Wheelersburg 3 (Breyden Byrd 3)

CORNER KICKS — South Webster 2, Wheelersburg 4

FOULS — South Webster 10 (0 offsides), Wheelersburg 9 (1 offsides)

YELLOW CARDS — South Webster 2, Wheelersburg 1

Reach Paul Boggs at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1926, by email at [email protected], or on X @paulboggssports © 2023 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved