By Fred Kroner
Mahomet-Seymour’s boys’ soccer team secured a berth in a Class 2A regional championship match that it will host at Middletown Field based on an 8-0 victory over visiting Rantoul on Tuesday (Oct. 17) in a semifinal game.
Travis Hoffman scored the only goal M-S would need in the first 2 minutes, off a long cross into the box from Kai Jones.
Nolan Wheeler posted his third hat trick of the season. Isaac Warren produced two goals to go with three assists.
Charlie Hawley and Wesley Jones hit the team’s other goals.
Kai Jones distributed a game-high three assists. Hoffman and Brian Woodbury also collected one assist.
Rantoul (5-13-1) did not attempt any shots in the match.
Coach Jeremy Davis – who registered his 100th career win earlier in the season and now has a career record of 108-34-22 – lauded the play of seniors Hawley and Wesley Jones.
“Charlie Hawley and Wes Jones were able to give the Bulldogs some huge minutes up front,” Davis said. “Wes Jones, currently leading the team in shot completion rate in the postseason at 1/1, had a clean finish that he slotted past the keeper to spark the Bulldogs runaway second half.
“Hawley followed up with his own clinical finish later to let the Bulldogs earn their spot in the final.”
The Bulldogs’ halftime lead was 3-0.
M-S (15-4-4) will face Centennial in the Friday (Oct. 20) championship match, starting at 5 p.m. at Middletown Field. In the semifinals, Centennial overcame deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to edge Urbana, 3-2.
