Polk County took care of the business in front of it Wednesday.
Now comes a game with a bit more at stake.
The Wolverines struck three times in the first half and added two more goals after the break in a 5-1 Western Highlands Conference victory over Hendersonville at G.M. Tennant Stadium, setting up Monday’s matchup at Owen between the conference co-leaders.
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Polk needed just six minutes to grab the lead, doing so with perhaps its best sequence of the evening.
Ross Dow won the ball near midfield and flicked it to Juan Vazquez, who pushed the ball wide to Tallis Metcalf. Metcalf carried down the right side and found Luke Garrison, whose cross reached Brennan Oates deep in the penalty area for a close-range finish.
Oates struck again in the 20th minute. Erik Pena found Oates open near the six-yard box, and Oates converted for a 2-0 lead.
Hendersonville (6-7-1, 4-2) answered in the 29th minute as Adam Schnitzer fired home a shot from deep on the left wing.
Polk needed only two minutes to restore the two-goal margin.
Dow intercepted a Hendersonville throw-in and dribbled into the right flank before crossing to Pena in the middle. Pena slid a low shot inside the left post to send the Wolverines into halftime with a 3-1 advantage.
Jackson Blotner then put the match away after halftime.
In the 42nd minute, Blotner collected a loose ball created by a Hendersonville defensive miscue and chipped a shot over the charging goalkeeper. Eleven minutes later, Oates found Blotner on the right wing, and Blotner drove a long shot into the left side of the net for the final goal.
The victory moved Polk County to 11-2-1 overall and 5-0-1 in conference play.
The Wolverines travel Monday to Owen for a matchup of Western Highlands Conference co-leaders. The teams played to a scoreless draw in their first meeting Sept. 9.
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