FABRIZIO GOWDY | NOVEMBER 10, 2020 | SPORTS

The Stanton College Preparatory School boys soccer team defeated the Yulee High School Hornets 4-0 Monday night in a windy and drizzly home game.

“A lot of people think teams like Yulee don’t have any club players, but that’s just not true anymore,” said Stanton head Coach Steve Stone. “They came to play.”

Stanton struck early, with junior midfielder Preston Skinner scoring from the right side in the second minute.

“We started off fast, we were on them from the first whistle, and were able to capitalize on opportunities early on in the game,” said Skinner, who got his first regular season start on the varsity squad.

The Blue Devils dominated the first half, overwhelmingly winning the time of possession battle and keeping the ball almost entirely in the Hornets' half. Yulee failed to get a single shot on goal, while Stanton recorded 12, forcing Yulee goalkeeper Colby Cochran to make 13 first half saves.

Stanton extended its lead with a pair of goals on corner kicks. In the 24th minute, senior midfielder Brandon Diaz headed in a well-placed corner from senior forward Miles Andre. In the final minute of the half, with Andre taking a break, it was junior midfielder Sam Grant's turn to take a corner. Grant played the ball into a crowd of Blue Devils, where junior defensive back Kristian Fischer tapped it in to put Stanton up 3-0 at the half.

“I thought we played better in the first half,” said coach Stone. “In the second half [Yulee] started using the wind to play long balls, and we got into a tennis match with them.

The second half was far more balanced, with both teams limited to a handful of scoring opportunities. Stanton capitalized on one of those opportunities in the 62nd minute. Yulee's Colby Cochran deflected a Stanton shot, only for the ball to bounce right to Miles Andre, who scored an easy goal from just outside the six-yard box. It proved to be the final score of the game.

“I wanted a tune-up before Creekside, because they are obviously going to be a good side,” said Stone. “I knew Yulee was going to be a tough, physical game.”

The 1-0 Blue Devils will again play at home tomorrow night, when they face the Creekside High School Knights at 7:20 p.m. Creekside is expected to be a more formidable opponent than Yulee; Stanton has lost its last four matchups against the Knights.

STANTON OPENS SEASON WITH HOME WIN OVER YULEE