Toledo-Winlock United boys soccer used four first-half goals — including a hat trick from Matthew Ethridge — to stun Stevenson early in a 5-1, Central 2B League road victory on Thursday.
Ethridge, a senior midfielder, put the pressure on the Bulldogs early with a goal in just the fourth minute off an assist from freshman Xavier Sancho.
Ethridge notched a brace just four minutes off a corner kick after redirecting a shot past Stevenson’s keeper off a slick assist from Noel Contreras.
Senior Nolan Swofford put United up 3-0 in the 17th minute, taking advantage of confusion in the box during a corner kick to tap it into the back of the net.
United kept the pedal down and went up 4-0 after Sancho headed a corner kick from Contereras back across the face of the goal where Swofford headed it into the back of the net in the 23rd minute.
The Bulldogs weren’t just going away, however, notching a goal in the 60th minute to cut their deficit to 4-1.
Ethridge responded 13 minutes later in the 73rd minute, taking the ball up the right side of the field and beating the Bulldogs’ keeper to complete his hat trick and put United up 5-1.
United (5-2-1, 3-1 1A Evergreen) next hosts Class 2A Rochester in a non-league matchup at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
