Late first-half flurry helps push Owen past Polk County

Coming off a 1-0 win over Enka, Owen figured to offer Polk County a stiff challenge Monday in its Western Highlands Conference opener.

That the Warhorses did.

Owen scored twice in the final nine minutes of the first half and went on to post a 5-1 victory over Polk County in a WHC boys soccer match in G.M. Tennant Stadium.

Polk County (4-8-1, 0-1) actually enjoyed the better of the action in the first 15-20 minutes, taking a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute on a Grayson Jones goal. Taking the ball on the right flank, Jones dribbled to his left, then back to his right and let loose a shot that passed by an Owen defender and the goalkeeper and into the net.

The Warhorses responded in the 21st minute as Gabe Dimenna pounced on a loose ball in front of the net and tallied to even the match.

A Polk violation in the 31st minute gave Owen a penalty kick, and Michael Gun buried the shot to give the Warhorses a 2-1 lead. Owen then scored a momentum-building goal with five seconds left in the half as Gun tallied from the right wing.

Denis Hernandez and Lorenz Hoover each scored in the first 15 minutes of the second period as the Warhorses (5-4, 1-0) built an insurmountable lead.

Polk County returns to the pitch on Wednesday, traveling to Avery to face the Vikings.

In an earlier match, the Polk County junior varsity dropped a 4-0 decision to Owen.