Titans Soccer Starts Strong
Mercer County junior Brandon Ballard had one goal and two assists in a win over Somerset in the Titans season opener on Monday night.
Cody Shackelford scored a goal in the Titans win over Southwestern Tuesday night.
Daarik Gray
Herald Staff
sports@harrodsburgherald.com
The Mercer County boy’s soccer team expects to have a target on their back after winning the 12th Region Championship last year. But in their two opening games, the pressure to repeat didn’t seem to faze them as they cruised to two easy victories over 12th Region opponents Somerset and Southwestern.
Somerset
Although senior Garrett Dean missed the beginning of summer workouts because he was attending the Governor’s Scholar Program (GSP), he didn’t show any signs of it slowing him down. In the Titans’ opening game he netted two goals, helping them to a 5-0 win over visiting Somerset.
“Garrett is playing well. He was at Governor’s Scholar so he missed a little bit of our preseason conditioning, but ever since he has gotten back he has worked hard and we are trying to get him back into game shape right now, so it was nice to see him score a couple,” said Mercer County Head Coach Garrett Stark.
Southwestern
Garrett Dean recorded a hat trick and had two assists and Brandon Ballard added two goals and two assists in helping lead the Titans to a 10-0 win over the Southwestern Warriors Tuesday night.
It didn’t take long for both Dean and Ballard to make their mark on the game. Dean scored off an assist from Ballard just eight minutes into the game.
“I am trying to do whatever I need to do to help my team score and if I see the open pass, then I am going to make it,” said Ballard.
Pick up a copy of The Harrodsburg Herald or subscribe online for the rest of the story.
