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Bowers’ milestone night leads Big Red

Steubenville standout reaches 100 career goals, sets season mark in senior night victory over Huskies

MILESTONE MOMENT — Big Red’s Cole Bowers (5) is greeted by teammates Landon Bowers, left, and Tad Loot after scoring his 100th career goal on Thursday in a win over Harrison Central. - Andrew Grimm

STEUBENVILLE — Senior night is always special for high school athletes. Big Red boys soccer’s senior night Thursday was extra special for Cole Bowers.

The standout senior scored three times in a 6-0 victory over visiting Harrison Central at Harding Stadium, and all three were significant.

Goal No. 1 tied him with Matt Loot for the single season record of 34. Goal No. 2 broke the record. Then, for good measure, goal No. 3 of the night, which came late in the second half, was career goal No. 100.

“It’s a special night,” Big Red head coach Greg Bowers said. “He had some opportunities early (that didn’t go in), I wasn’t sure he was going to get it but he kept going. He’s worked hard for this and he’s a good kid. I’m proud of him.

“He couldn’t have done it without a lot of great teammates over the years. He’s played on some great teams with some really good teammates. It’s a team effort.”

Cole Bowers also assisted on two more tallies in the win, factoring in to five of the six goals on the night.

“He’s probably came up watching the last three or four goal record holders,” coach Bowers said of Cole. “Matt was the last one and they still keep in touch. It’s just a great night.”

Landon Bowers tallied a pair of goals and Joey Rice netted the other, while Tad Loot and Tommy Lucas each added a pair of assists.

Keeper JJ Lamantia made a pair of saves in goal to keep the Huskies off the scoreboard.

Big Red finishes the regular season with a mark of 10-5-1.

“These seniors have a had a heck of a run,” coach Bowers said. “They’ve been a part of two district titles and a district runner up, and they have a chance to get another district title this year. They’ve brought a lot to the program and it’s good to see them finish this way in their last home game.”

Huskies head coach Derek Gramling also recognized Cole Bowers’ accomplishment.

“It’s a really good team a really special player,” he said of Big Red and Cole Bowers. “To hit 100 goals in a career is an amazing feat, to get 36 in a season is just incredible.”

Gramling knew Big Red would be a challenge, and felt his team did not give Steubenville their best shot.

“We knew it was going to be tough going against them, but we didn’t do ourselves any favors, we made a lot of mistakes,” he added. “The last couple weeks have been rough, we’ve gone through a rough patch, but we’ve got four practices before the tournament to get out of it and clean up what we need to clean up.”

The Huskies (6-11) got eight saves from keeper Brady McAfee.

UP NEXT

Both teams are on to tournament time.

The Huskies will look to regroup and get ready to take on Union Local on the road next Thursday in Division IV sectional action.

“Everyone is 0-0 now, anything can happen in a tournament game,” Gramling said. “We’re going to keep getting after it, we’re going to put in the work and try to get a good result.”

Big Red, meanwhile, will travel to John Glenn in the Division III bracket on Tuesday.

“Now we’ve got to get focused on the tournament,” coach Bowers said. “We did a decent job of being focused today but we’re going to have to be even more dialed in going to John Glenn next week.”

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