By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — As it turned out, Clay was putty in the hands — or feet — of the St. Joseph Flyers.

With Evan Balestra getting 5 saves in posting a shutout, the Flyers remained unbeaten in the Southern Ohio Conference.

Zachary Johnson and Wesley Neal each scored 2 goals and Carson Lyons had the fifth goal for the Flyers.

Brady “Quinn” Medinger had 3 assists while brother Blake Medinger also had an assist.

The Flyers — who led 2-0 at the half — had 7 corner kicks, one offsides and 4 fouls. Clay had 2 corner kicks and 3 fouls.

Johnson had 3 corner kicks and Landon Rowe had 2. Eli Ford and Lyons had one each.

St. Joseph is now 5-1-1 overall and 3-0 in the SOC and will host Lucasville Valley on Thursday in an SOC game.

Clay goalkeeper Malachi Loper had 24 saves as St. Joseph had 29 shots on goal.

The Flyers also posted a 1-0 win over the New Boston Tigers in an SOC game last week.

Rowe got the game’s only goal in the first half with an assist from Lyons.

Ford had 13 saves as the Flyers’ goalkeeper.

St. Joseph had 4 corner kicks, 2 offsides and 6 fouls. New Boston had 3 corner kicks, 13 fouls and no offsides.

On Saturday, the Flyers played the North Adams Green Devils who are one of the top teams in the district.

North Adams scored the game’s only goal in the first half and held on for a 1-0 win.

Ford had 7 saves and Balestra recorded 5 saves as they split goalkeeper duties.

St. Joseph had 10 shots with 7 on goal, 2 corner kicks — both by Rowe — one offsides and 3 fouls.

Cody Helser had the game’s lone goal for the Green Devils who had 8 corner kicks, 2 offsides and 3 fouls.