PARMA, Ohio -- The Sons of Blackbeard earned a Great Lakes Conference road win Tuesday night, as Rocky River defeated Parma, 11-0.

The Pirates (7-4, 6-2 GLC) scored their most goals in a game since 1992 (12 vs. Oberlin) in dispatching the Redmen for a sixth time in as many years since the GLC was launched in 2015. Rocky River has now won four straight GLC matches since losing at Bay on Sept. 14.

Junior Gold Rrustemaj led the Pirates' attack with three goals. Seniors Nate Keeling (goal, two assists) and Chris Fry (three assists) and sophomore Charlie Russell (two goals) were also busy on the night.

Keeling and Russell have now scored in back-to-back matches.

Two River goalkeepers got time in net, with junior Ian Tomsik making one save over 60 minutes of work and sophomore Will DeClerck logging 20 duty-free minutes.

The big offensive numbers were jarring, but Head Coach Kevin Zerbey was focused on some facets of the Rocky River game that still need refinement as the 2020 postseason approaches.

"The boys did a good job of moving the ball quickly and creating openings in Parma's defense," said Zerbey, whose Pirates have now tallied seven-or-more goals three times since Sept. 16. "The ball movement gave us good looks at the goal. But despite the score, we all know we can play better than we did. We'll look to do that, so we can head into the playoffs on a roll."

Getting on a roll is something River will look to do exclusively at home. Beginning with a Thursday game against Lutheran West (7 p.m. kickoff), each of the Pirates' four remaining regular season games is slated to be played at Rocky River Stadium.


CANNON FIRE ...

UNDEFEATED & UN-SCORED UPON: In six all-time matches against Parma, Rocky River is 6-0. The Pirates have outscored the Redmen, 37-0, over those half-dozen contests.

BYERS BEWARE: Tuesday's match was held at Byers Field in Parma. Byers Field has become a frequent site of road matches since the Pirates linked arms with Parma, Normandy, and Valley Forge in the formation of the Great Lakes Conference in 2015. Since that year, the Men in Maroon are 8-1 at the 12,750-seat facility constructed in 1940. River has won six in a row at Byers, dating to the 2017 season.

by Skip Snow