Carson Welker absolutely went off for St. Mary Catholic Central soccer yesterday, racking up three goals and two assists to lead the Falcons to a massive 7-3 victory over Airport. This sophomore is officially *coming into his own*, and it showed big time on Wednesday. SMCC coach Jon Pederson wasn’t shy about it, calling Welker “a really nice player.” You love to see a young gun step up like that and dominate.
Falcons’ Offense Explodes, Defense Holds It Down
Look, Welker wasn’t the only one lighting up the scoreboard for SMCC. Aaron Fowkes also delivered a hat trick and even chipped in an assist, proving this Falcons offense has some serious firepower. And let’s not forget Carson Peters, who added a goal and an assist himself. When you get that kind of widespread production, you know something special is brewing. Coach Pederson put it simply: “We needed that.” After starting 1-1-1, a statement win like this one, 7-3, is exactly what a team needs to build momentum. The coach even highlighted how well they passed the ball in the midfield and got around the defense on the wings. That’s execution, plain and simple. Adam Ortega scored twice for Airport, but it clearly wasn’t enough to contain the SMCC onslaught.
Ida Claims Carlson Tournament Crown
Meanwhile, a bit west in Gibraltar, Ida’s boys’ soccer squad was busy collecting some hardware, winning the Carlson Tournament on Saturday. They took down Gibraltar Carlson 2-1 and then secured a tight 1-0 victory over Milan. Ida coach Tim Allen was hyped, saying he was “happy for our boys to win their first two games.” He also kept it real, noting they did well in some areas but still need to improve in others. That’s the mindset of a winner right there. Shoutout to defensive centers Ryan Buck and Isaak Burks, who were absolute brick walls, allowing only one goal and very few shots on goal across both games. Burks actually kicked things off against Carlson with the opening goal, and then Stevie Riley broke a 1-1 tie by scoring off a rebound from a Dane Holycorss shot. Holycross himself sealed the Milan game, scoring the only goal with an assist from Riley. Talk about clutch plays!
Around the Region: Schaffer’s Hat Trick and Trojans’ Tough Stretch
Not far away, Jefferson-Erie Mason started their season strong with a 4-0 shutout against Frankel Jewish Academy. Sawyer Schaffer was the star, bagging a hat trick and assisting Cooper Jones on another goal. Jackson Vallie was a beast in net, making seven saves for his first shutout. Jonah Busen and Ethan Sieb also snagged assists. Over in Boyne, Monroe had a wild tournament Saturday. They grabbed a 1-0 win against Marshall but then hit some tough luck, falling 1-0 to Grand Rapids South Christian, 3-2 to Grandville Calvin Christian, and 3-1 to Romeo. Aiden Gray found the net twice for Monroe, with Edwin Sanchez and Luis Diaz each adding a goal and two assists. Jake Steckmeyer also picked up an assist. This team is battling, you can tell!
For SMCC, Ida, and Jefferson-Erie Mason, the challenge now is carrying this winning energy forward. For Monroe, it’s about learning from those close games and coming back stronger next time. The season is still early, and every game matters as these teams look to prove themselves.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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