Thunder Ridge boys soccer outlasts Blackfoot

Blackfoot senior Boone Bowman (22) crashes into Thunder Ridge forward Logan Leishman on Saturday during their nonconference match at Blackfoot High School. The Titans beat the Broncos 2-nil. In a marquee non-conference matchup, the Thunder Ridge boys soccer team (4-2, 1-0) went into Blackfoot and shut down the Broncos (2-4, 2-3), 2-0, on Saturday night. 'Blackfoot's a good team. I mean, Liam [Pope]'s a good coach. He always puts together a good squad,' Titans head coach Dan Dümmar told the Post Register. '… I think they're one of the better teams in the area.'Thunder Ridge controlled possession early, but Blackfoot's defense held it scoreless, largely due to junior goalkeeper Edwin Botello's efforts in net. Botello made several clutch saves during the contest, but he could not stop the Titans from breaking the 0-0 tie late in the half, on one of their many high-danger looks. Titans sophomore midfielder Emmitt Larsen collected a ball in tight, buried it and his team went into the break up a goal. 'I think probably what we needed to work on tonight was putting our finishing chances in the net,' Dümmar said. 'We had a lot of chances.' Thunder Ridge teammates Maxy Palacios (14) and Emmitt Larsen chat following Larsen's goal against Blackfoot on Saturday at Blackfoot High School. The Titans beat the Broncos 2-nil. 'And they were good opportunities. We had good shots. Their keeper was great tonight,' Dümmar continued. Thunder Ridge maintained its strong possession game, and a back line led by senior center back Tanner Layton prevented any looks too troubling for the goalkeeper tandem of seniors Alix Mendoza and Steven West, who combined for a clean sheet. 'They were playing a high press on us, so we did most of our attacks from coming back and building up around the sides,' Layton, who always looked composed with the ball on his boot, said. '… I felt we did a good job of playing to our wings.' Thunder Ridge sophomore Thatcher Funderburg, left, tangles with Blackfoot's Efren Bermudez Galvan on Saturday during their nonconference match at Blackfoot High School. The Titans beat the Broncos 2-nil. 'I felt like we, honestly possessed the ball and dictated how we wanted to play,' Dümmar added. About five minutes into the second half, the Titans earned an insurance goal when junior forward Logan Leishman beat Botello, extending his team's margin and putting them in the driver's seat for the final 35 minutes. The Broncos started bringing more attackers into the play; that high press kept battling against this stout Thunder Ridge defense and had several chances late. But none would go, and now the Titans turn their attention to another non-conference test versus Hillcrest on Wednesday, while Blackfoot will look to get back in the win column Tuesday night, also facing the Knights. 'We're a brotherhood and a family out here. I know that they have my back and they know that I have their backs,' Layton said.