Terrier boys soccer Boys soccer clinches South Seven title

Again, the Carbondale Terrier soccer team had a significant week.

Following their emotional victory on Senior Night at Fralish Field in Carbondale, the team traveled to Mt. Vernon and then back home to again clinch a South Seven title, their second consecutive. 

After a September to remember, the Terriers charged up to Mt. Vernon to open October with a 14-0-2 undefeated record and rammed the point home with a 3-0 lead after only 10 minutes had passed. At 20 minutes into a 40-minute half, Carbondale led 6-0 with goals by seniors Sajad Nasser (two), James Oberg (two) and Diiriye Jambiir, and one by freshman Ian Davis. Time was cut in half for the second half of the game, as per IHSA rules, when Carbondale's T.J. Person scored his first varsity goal on a pretty through ball from Will Bruns. Ian Davis scored three more in the second half to claim a quad for the game. The final score was 10-1. 

Next, the Terriers hosted the Belleville Althoff Crusaders for a Saturday matinee Oct. 5. Althoff needed a win to deny the Terriers a second conference title, but Carbondale was not to be denied. On the strength of another clean sheet by keeper Nathaniel Pimentel and center defenders Jacob Collie and James Baltz (10 on the season), the Terriers counted two more goals by James Oberg (second in goals in Illinois 2A) and one each for Jacob Collie and Josh Payne. For a second consecutive year, the South Seven Conference championship trophy was hoisted at Fralish Field, and Carbondale coach Jeff Hansen was given the traditional "Gatorade shower."    

At 16-0-2, the undefeated Carbondale Terriers now rank 11th in the Illinois 2A state rankings by MaxPreps, falling two spots exclusively on the strength of schedule factor. Over nine days, Carbondale closes out the regular season on the road, with matches at Marion, Anna-Jonesboro/Cobden, Carterville and Belleville East.