MP Boys? soccer team falls to Chiefs in home opener

By Andy Krutsinger,

Mt. Pleasant News

The Mt. Pleasant boys? soccer team had their home opening game on Thursday evening at East Lake Park.

The Chiefs scored early goals in both the first and second half to spoil the Panthers? home opener as Keokuk walked out with the 3-1 win.

Keokuk opened the game with a bang when Austin West scored 12 seconds into the game to put Mt. Pleasant in an early hole.

The Panthers answered back just two minutes later, however. Ryan Hutchinson rolled in a goal, two minutes and 14 seconds into the game to tie the game at 1-1.

The Panthers had a handful of shots to go up 2-1 in the first half but the Chiefs? defense held up. Neither team scored again in the first half and it was tied at 1-1 going into the break.

Keokuk began the second half the same way they started the first, with an early goal.

Jamin Klose knocked in the second goal for Keokuk, just 41 seconds into the second half and the Chiefs had the lead again, at 2-1.

Mt. Pleasant had a couple of good chances to tie the game again early in the second half.

With just under 32 minutes left in the game, the Panther offense was able to get the Keokuk goalkeeper out of his net with a mad scramble, but a shot from Hutchinson just went over the crossbar.

Then, with 27 minutes left, Hoi Phung had a sliding shot that got past the Chiefs? keeper but it trickled just right of the goal and the game remained tied.

Keokuk made the Panthers pay for missed opportunities a few minutes later as Klose netted his second goal on a header with 20:56 remaining.

The Chiefs were able to hold off Mt. Pleasant and the Panthers suffered their second loss in a row.