JONESBOROUGH – In a non-conference boys soccer match played at Pioneer Field on Wednesday, the Elizabethton Cyclones took care of their business. Senior midfielder Luke Bernshausen scored two goals and the Cyclones held David Crockett off the scoreboard in a 4-nil victory.

Crockett was coming off a 1-nil upset of Tennessee High the previous game but fell behind EHS in the eighth minute when Bernshausen took possession outside the Crockett penalty area.

He fought his way through two Pioneer defenders and fired a low blast past sophomore goalkeeper Jack Roney for a 1-nil Cyclones lead.

EHS head coach Bill McClay was more than satisfied with his team’s effort saying, “In the first half we hit the post twice and a couple of through balls that (Roney) made a couple good saves on. That was a great half. I thought we knocked the ball around pretty well.

“In the second half the game settled in but I like the shutout. We possessed the ball when we could and here’s the thing, they played a pretty high line and their keeper likes to come out and challenge,” continued McClay.

“But we strung together something like 10 or 11 passes and slotted one through and that’s the first one that hit the post and Austin knocked it in.”

With the score 3-nil, the Cyclones showed precision and a little bit of cleverness when they possessed outside the Pioneer penalty area and allowed junior Jaxton Holly to slip in on the far side to where Bernshausen passed across.

Holly’s shot clipped the right post and came back to him and he slid a pass across the face of the goalkeeper to senior Austin Outland who had a wide-open goal.

Outland’s goal came in the 37th minute of the first half and followed what was another excellent scoring opportunity in the 35th minute when Kellen Murphy scored off a set piece.

Evan Fulmer sent a corner kick into the box from where Murphy knocked in the rebound as Roney was not able to corral the shot.

Murphy’s goal made it a three-goal game and in the 30th minute, perhaps the cleanest and prettiest goal came from Bernshausen when he fired from 35 yards out and beat Roney with a high shot that sailed over his outstretched arms and under the crossbar.

“We came out strong and communicated very well in the first half,” Bernshausen said. “If it wasn’t on we passed the ball around and created a hole and the hole was on we made the most of it and put a couple in.”

On his second goal, Bernshausen described his decision to fire away from long range saying, “My defender gave me room when I received the ball, took a step to the right and let it go.”

EHS will play KACHEA on Thursday at Citizens Bank Stadium and University High on Friday either at Winged Deer Park or if inclement weather hits the game will shift to Citizens.

EHS 4-0

EHS       4 0 – 4

Crockett 0 0 – 0

Scoring summary

First Half

E – Bernshausen (unassisted) 8:00

E – Bernshausen (unassisted) 30:00

E – Murphy (assist Fulmer) 35:00

E – Outland (assist J. Holly) 37:00