By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The St. Joseph Flyers got ahead so they could stay ahead.

The Flyers jumped out to a 5-0 first half lead and beat the Western Indians 7-1 Tuesday as they stayed ahead by a half-game in the Southern Ohio Conference 1 race.

The Flyers visit Lucasville Valley (3-0) on Thursday in a battle for first place in the SOC-1.

The Flyers (10-2, 4-0) took an early 1-0 lead when Carson Lyons scored an unassisted goal on a rebound off of a defender with 34:56 on the clock.

With 30:39 showing, Landon “Rocky” Rowe scored off a touch pass from Blake Medinger in the box and it was 2-0.

Rowe scored again with a cross pass assist from Texas Jack Whaley with 28:11 left in the half.

Sophia Rowe scored a goal with 4:36 left when she took a cross pass from Whaley and it was 4-0.

The final goal of the half was a goal off a through ball from Rex Weber to Wesley Neal.

In the second half, Mason Weber scored with 30:20 on the clock as he scored from deep outside the box thanks to a pass from Landon Rowe.

The Flyers scored just 19 seconds later as Whaley got a goal off a touch pass from Neal inside the box.

Western (4-6, 2-2) avoided the shutout as Tyler Kerns got an unassisted goal off a deflection from the goalkeeper with 20:01 to play.

The Flyers used 2 goalkeepers as Beckham Waginger played 40 minutes and had 3 saves while Peyton Ford had 4 saves as he played the second half.

Indians’ goalkeeper Elijah McQuay had 3 saves.

St. Joseph took 5 corner kicks and had 7 fouls. Western did not take a corner kick.

The Flyers also had 7 fouls to just one for the Dragons.

Western    0 1 = 1

St. Joseph 5 2 = 7

First Half

SJ — Carson Lyons unassisted 34:56

SJ — Landon Rowe (assist Blake Medinger) 30:39

SJ — Landon Rowe (assist Jack Whaley) 28:11

SJ — Sophia Rowe (assist Jack Whaley) 4:36

SJ — Wesley Rowe (assist Rex Weber) 3:17

Second Half

SJ — Mason Weber (assist Landon Rowe) 30:20

SJ — Jack Whaley (assists Wesley Neal) 30:01

We — Tyler Kerns (unassisted) 20:01

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Game Statistics

Goalkeepers—Western: Elijah McQuay 3 saves; St. Joseph: Beckham Waginger 3 saves, Peyton Ford 4 saves

Corner Kicks—St. Joseph 5, Western 0

Fouls—Western 1, St. Joseph 7