ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- After Wednesday's match against the Holy Name Green Wave, it was high fives all around. Five Pirate seniors were honored pregame as part of the program's Senior Night, and Rocky River then dispatched Holy Name, 8-0.

The Sons of Blackbeard controlled the Great Lakes Conference match from start to finish, and River's senior players were key contributors to the victory. Senior captain Chase DeClerck tallied three goals and an assist. Fellow seniors Michael Triplett and Conor McKenna added a goals, and seniors Chris Fry and Nate Keeling were instrumental in driving Pirate momentum throughout.

The Rocky River (4-2, 3-2) attack wasted no time in peppering the Holy Name goal with a slew of twine-seeking missiles. River clocked seven shots in the opening five minutes of action. One of those found pipe-work; another -- on a shot by Michael Triplett --did find nylon. The son of Chris and Carolyn Triplett took a pass from Jack Maher and banged home an 11-yarder in the fourth minute.

The next 15 minutes were a Pirate onslaught but only in the possession-time and shot-count departments. A Chase DeClerck goal ended that stretch in the 19th minute. The son of Jeff and Mary Beth DeClerck would go on to register another goal and an assist in the balance of the first half. He logged his third goal of the match -- his team-leading seventh of the season -- in the early minutes of the second half.

The Pirates' second goal was followed in quick order by their third. That third netfinder was delivered by junior Gold Rrustemaj on a feed by DeClerck.

In an opening 40 minutes which saw the Detroit Road Buccaneers outshoot their visitors, 32-2, Rocky River got three more goals (DeClerck, Nathyn Marius, Jack Maher) without yielding much traffic in their defensive end. The Pirates went into halftime leading, 6-0.

In the second half, it was DeClerck putting a ribbon on his hat trick in the 45th minute and then another senior -- Conor McKenna -- scoring what proved to be the final goal of the match in the 64th. For the son of John and Maureen McKenna, the goal marked his first of the season. McKenna also made a nifty sliding tackle to blow up a Green Wave opportunity early in the match. 

Chris Fry and Nate Keeling diffused multiple Green Wave runs up field. The sons of Greg and Amy Fry and of Tony and Debbie Keeling were steady in turning Holy Name possessions into those of the low-leverage variety.

The 8-0 home-field victory spelled River's first shutout of the season. Ian Tomsik and Will DeClerck split time minding the Pirate cage; they combined to register four saves.

The win marked Rocky River's ninth straight against Holy Name. The Maroon & White are now 10-1 all-time against the Green Wave.

The last few wins in that series have come under the watchful eyes -- and at the talented feet -- of five valued Pirate veterans. Most especially this one. On their night.




CANNON FIRE ...

DECORATED VETERANS: Rocky River's five seniors went into the 2020 season having earned a combined eight varsity letters for the Pirates. Over the last three years (2018-20), their contributions to Pirate Soccer have produced 30 wins.

ON DECK: Rocky River will be away from Rocky River Stadium their next to matches. That pair of road games begins with a Monday trip to Westlake.

by Skip Snow