The Garden Spot boys' soccer team proved that whether you score one goal or ten goals, a win is a win.

Well, not that they were setting out to evolve an axiom that claims such things, but a pair of 1-0 victories sandwiched around a 10-1 trouncing of Solanco did extend the Spartans' win streak to seven games and improved their record to 8-5-0.

Coming off a 1-0 shutout win at Elizabethtown back on Wednesday, September 29, the Spartans played host to Solanco on Saturday afternoon, October 2. Three different Spartans - Luke Steiner, Keegan Redcay and Ibon Ibanez - finished with two goals each.

The first goal by Ibanez put the Spartans up 1-0. Trey Dwyer and Steiner increased it to 3-0. By halftime, Steiner and George Rohrbaugh had helped make it 6-0.

By game's end, Emir Hamzic and Gavin Andrews had each netted one goal. Andrews, Rohrbaugh and Justin Minger each dished out one assist while Jace Weaver was credited with two.

Josh Martin handled the goalkeeping duties, making one save for the Spartans.

Garden Spot improved to 5-3-0 in the Lancaster-Lebanon League with the 1-0 victory at home over McCaskey on Monday, October 4. Redcay scored off a Dwyer assist eight minutes into the match. The defense held the Red Tornado scoreless for the match.

FIELD HOCKEY

The Garden Spot defense has been stingy of late, helping the team hang on to first place (8-1-0) in the Section Three field hockey standings. Garden Spot improved to 11-2-0 overall with its 5-0 defeat of Section three foe Solanco on the road, Tuesday afternoon, October 4.

The Spartans spaced out their scoring with Erin Gonzalez scoring twice in the second quarter and once more in the fourth quarter for a hat trick, and with Melanie Esh and Lauren Horning both scoring in the third stanza.

Gonzalez was part of each score in the 5-0 win, providing assists for Esh and Horning while Horning added an assist as well.

Bryna Kelly was tested once in front of the Spartans cage, making the save to secure the shutout.

Kelly and the defense have allowed only three goals in the past six matches. On Saturday, October 2, the Spartans edged Annville-Cleona 2-1, avenging a 3-1 defeat on the road from 12 days earlier.

Gonzalez and Esh scored in the fourth quarter to give Garden Spot a comeback victory. Liby Kauffman was credited with an assist on the day.

Kelly made four saves in the close victory.

GIRLS' SOCCER

Garden Spot played some of its best soccer this past week as the girls' team defeated Cocalico and McCaskey - both by the final score of 3-2. The Spartans improved to 3-9-0 on the year.

In an exciting home game on Friday afternoon, October 1, Kylie Weinhold's stellar goaltending (10 saves) helped the Spartans hang on to defeat the Eagles.

Taylor Soehner scored the only goal of the first half, giving Garden Spot a 1-0 halftime advantage. There were four goals scored in the second half, including scores by Angela Nurse and Ella Wilson of the home team. Wilson and Ashton Gonzalez each had an assist in the contest.

The victory at McCaskey on Monday improved Spot's L-L League mark to 2-6-0. In another tight match, Gonzalez, who had scored a goal two minutes into the second half, and Nurse scored late goals to edge the Red Tornado. McCaskey's Emma Haiges, who had an assist in the first half, scored with two minutes remaining in the match.

Weinhold came through with five saves for Spot. Sarah Crowley grabbed 10 saves for McCaskey.

CROSS COUNTRY

The Garden Spot boys' cross country team lost to Lampeter-Strasburg and to Octorara in a Tuesday afternoon L-L League race at Garden Spot. The Spartans lost by a close 26-30 margin to Octorara while L-S beat the Spartans 15-50 and topped the Braves 16-48.

Helping the Pioneers in their win was the fact that the first four runners to cross the finish line were L-S teammates, including Colin Whitaker, who won the race at a 16:49 pace.

Josiah Martin led Garden Spot with his eighth-place finish at 18:29, followed by ninth-place finisher Alan Krock (18:35). Will Culbert took 13th place in 19:26 as the Spartan boys fell to 4-5 on the year.

The girls' team edged Octorara 27-28 but came up short against L-S by a 23-36 score. The Pioneers topped Octorara 25-37.

Nicole Kelch led the Spartans (5-4) with her fifth-place finish in 24:03.

Julie Hoover's 24:10 was good for sixth place while Haley Zimmerman (25:17) took eighth place. Haylee Horning posted a time of 26:38, good for 12th.