BOYS' PREP SOCCER: Elizabethtown cruises by hurting Bruins, 4-0 (09/12)

Jill Pickett

Central Hardin's Taylor Sheeran plays the ball back behind him during Thursday's game against Elizabethtown at T.K. Stone Middle School.

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Jill Pickett

Elizabethtown's Jack Goblirsch fends off Central Hardin's Noah Wiersema during varsity action Thursday evening at T.K. Stone Middle School.

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By NATHANIEL BRYAN nbryan@thenewsenterprise.com ELIZABETHTOWN — The Central Hardin Bruins are trying to fit the puzzle pieces together, while the picture is coming into focus for Jack Goblirsch and the Elizabethtown Panthers. A junior center midfielder, Goblirsch scored his team’s first two goals and set up the latter two as the surging Panthers rolled past the hurting Bruins, 4-0 in 10th District soccer action Thursday night at Doug Smith Memorial Stadium. “He makes us a lot better,” said Elizabethtown sophomore forward Beau Bouthilette, the beneficiary of Goblirsch’s second assist. “He knows a lot about the game. He helps me out and he helps the team out.” The Bruins, who are missing four starters due to injuries, had no answer for Goblirsch. The area’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year notched four points as the Panthers remained unbeaten in regulation against district competitors for 30 consecutive matches dating back to 2004. Elizabethtown junior wing Ty Strader got things started in the 23rd minute when his hard liner was knocked out of bounds over the crossbar by Central Hardin junior goalkeeper Dakota Bowen. Goblirsch’s ensuing corner kick was played to the opposite side of the field and was collected by Elizabethtown junior midfielder Eli Cabezas, who took a few dribbles before playing the ball back across to a wide-open Goblirsch. Goblirsch doubled the Panthers’ lead with less than 4 minutes remaining in the first half as freshman Todd Lucas’ long right-side throw in went to junior midfielder Joe Raub, whose shot in the 18-yard box was deflected by the Bruins’ defense and right to Goblirsch. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of Jack,” said Elizabethtown coach Jon Parsons, whose team is unbeaten in four of its last five matches. “When he’s on like that, it’s hard for any defense to stay on him. And not only is he scoring, but he’s our leader as well.” After halftime, Goblirsch used his leadership skills to assist goals instead of scoring them. The Panthers made it 3-0 with 7:29 remaining in the match when Goblirsch’s right-side corner went into the 18-yard box and Lucas finished it off. “A 2-0 lead is not that comfortable of a lead. You want to try to get that third goal,” Goblirsch said. “I think Todd’s goal gave us a lot of confidence.” Bouthilette put the finishing touches on the rout in the game’s final 4 minutes when he stayed onside long enough for Goblirsch’s pass to get through the defense. “I thought I was offside, but Jack played that ball right through the defense enough to split them. He left me one-on-one with the keeper and you can’t ask for more than that out of a pass,” Bouthilette said. Elizabethtown outshot the Bruins, 33-6 overall and 9-0 on frame, but Parsons said the Central Hardin team that Elizabethtown beat Thursday night isn’t the Bruin squad which rocketed out to a 5-0 start with four shutouts. Junior forward Jordan Sosh (ACL tear) and sophomore defender Brenden Horn (ankle surgery) are both out for the season, while sophomore midfielder Zach Laux was standing on crutches on the sideline with an ankle injury and sophomore forward John Wallace, also a star kicker for the football team, recently found out the reason for his back pain was a fractured lumbar. “You have to give Central Hardin a lot of credit. They have four starters out and that will take a toll on any team. That’s a different team we played tonight than the one I saw Tuesday night (in a 3-1 win over Nelson County),” Parsons said. “He (first-year Bruin coach Mike Wiersema) is trying to put the pieces back together. I really wouldn’t want to be in his shoes as a coach.” Elizabethtown won the junior varsity game, 3-1. UP NEXT: Elizabethtown hosts Warren Central at noon Saturday. Central Hardin hosts Winchester George Rogers Clark at 7 p.m. Saturday. Nathaniel Bryan can be reached at 505-1758