Still undefeated: Jimmies improve to 10-0 with 5-0 win over Bethel

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John M. Steiner / The Sun Top, Jamestown College’s Jade Johnson (28) escapes from Bethel’s Jeremy Tan during Wednesday’s game.
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Jack Hartley (18) keeps the ball as a Tan tugs on his jersey.

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The old trap-door game couldn’t trip up the Jimmies.

With their biggest match of the season looming Saturday, Jamestown College had little trouble with Bethel University (Minn.) at Jimmie Soccer Field as they finished with a 4-goal flourish en route to a 5-0 win on Wednesday.

The 10-0 Jimmies host perennial NAIA power Great Falls (Mont.) Saturday at 3 p.m. Wednesday’s match was not the Jimmies’ best of the season, but they still piled up five goals and notched their fourth shutout.

“We didn’t have a ton of energy. There was probably a little bit of, ‘the game before the game,’ creeping in, but you look up at the end of the game and we have five goals,” JC coach Phil Bohn said. “Overall, defensively I thought we did a pretty nice job.

“Offensively, the first 70 minutes weren’t great for us, but then over the last 20 minutes we scored four goals. … At the end of the day it’s a win and we’re 10-0. We have to feel good about that.”

The Jimmies were superior to the Royals (1-8) in every way, although Bethel played with spirit, knowing it was a chance to knock off an unbeaten team.

Despite the ball being pinned in Bethel’s end for most of the day, Jonathan Jacobs’ unassisted goal at 23:03 was the only score until the Jimmies kicked into high gear late.

Jade Johnson, a nightmare match-up for most teams at 6-foot-2 and 177 pounds, scored twice in the final 20 minutes and had an assist. His second, coming in the 78th minute, iced it at 4-0. Johnson nearly had a hat trick. A shot early in the second half stayed out after it glanced off the cross bar. Johnson’s two goals gave him five on the season.

“By Jade’s standard this was probably his worst game and when it’s over he has two goals and an assist,” Bohn said of the sophomore from West Fargo. “Early in the game his touches were a little off, but then he comes back and plays 15 pretty dominant minutes. He’s always going to be the most dangerous man in any match. He’s that good.”

Man of the Match honors went to midfielder Jack Keeling, who was all over the field. The red-headed midfielder, part of the 11-man English contingent on the JC roster, scored the Jimmies’ third goal, but controlled the game deftly from the midfield. The goal was his sixth of the season.

“Jack had a very steady game,” Bohn said. “I thought he really played well.”

Dominic O’Connor got the final goal with less than a minute left. O’Connor, the Jimmies’ leading scorer last season, was slowed by injuries early in the campaign, but appears to be rounding into form which will only add to JC’s dangerous attack.

Thomas Cooke didn’t see much action in goal, but was ready when needed, notching his fourth clean sheet of the season. Cooke stopped four shots, while the Jimmies peppered A.J. Syler with 11 shots and had several more sail off frame.

So now the Jimmies have two days to get ready for Great Falls. The teams met three times last season with the Argos (6-2-1) winning two of them.

“I think they graduated nine starters off last year’s team, but they’re a program with a history of success and they’re going to be good,” Bohn said. “We’ll find out how good we really are.”

Jamestown College 5, Bethel University 0

Bethel 0 0 — 0

Jamestown College 1 4 — 5

Scoring summary

First half

1, JC, Jonathan Jacobs (unassisted), 23:03.

Second half

2, JC, Jade Johnson (Jonathon Lodge), 69:44; 3, Jack Keeling (Dominic O’Connor), 74:45; 4, Johnson (Keeling), 77:58; 5, O’Connor (Ben Eastwell), 87:54.

Keeper saves: Bethel, A.J. Syler 4-2—6 saves. Jamestown College, Thomas Cooke 2-2—4 saves.

Records: Jamestown College 10-0; Bethel University 1-8.

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or at dselvig@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports, soccer, jimmies