One day after two notable hat trick performances, another historic hat trick performance led the Barton Community College men’s soccer team to its second consecutive road victory as the Cougars manhandled the junior varsity squad of Southwestern Christian University JV 7-0 Sunday in Bethany, Oklahoma. The victory improves Barton to 4-0 after the tune-up portion of the schedule as the Cougars get set for a tough rest of the season. Beginning on Wednesday with the always tough Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa squad, the 3-2 Mavericks shut out the Cougars 3-0 last season in Tonkawa and are 3-1 this season against fellow Region VI foes. Kick-off is set for 4:00 p.m. at the Cougar Soccer/Track Complex following the Lady Cougars 2:00 p.m. contest versus the No. 11 ranked Lady Mavericks.
Sophomore Renan Sousa had his second consecutive game of historic proportions scoring three goals following his three assist performance on Saturday. The performance joined Sam McCrillis (2012) and Bruno Conceico (2005) as the only Cougars to have dished out three assists in one game then score three goals in another during a single season. Even rarer, Sousa joins only McCrillis to have consecutive hat trick games of three assists and three goals. McCrillis accomplished his feat by scoring three goals in Barton’s 5-1 October 3, 2012, victory over Johnson County Community College then one week later distributed three assists lifting the Cougars to a 5-0 win at Pratt Community College on October 10.
Jiro Barriga Toyama, who scored his first goal of the season in Saturday’s contest, got the scoring started beating the keeper unassisted with twenty minutes remaining in first half action. Three minutes late Sousa scored the first of his three goals getting the assist from Toyama. The duo would strike again with four minutes remaining in the half as Toyama again found Sousa giving the Cougars a three goal halftime lead. Sousa completed his hat trick ten minutes into the second frame scoring unassisted to join McCrillis and Conceico with the historic feat.
Three more goals would ensue with freshman Cougars getting their first taste of the scoreboard. Juan Barron picked up his first net shaker with twenty-five minutes left in the game from Emilio Montanez‘ second assist of the season staking Barton out to a five goal lead.
The Cougars put the final touches on the blowout with two late goals, the first coming with three minutes remaining as Kaike Guerra picked up his second goal of the season finishing off Luiz Pereira‘s first career assist. Thirty seconds later the duo teamed up again as Guerra distributed his first assist as Pereira scored his first goal to cap Barton’s largest output since 2012.
Barton’s next opponent will be the first test of the season for the young Cougars. After a season opening 2-1 loss against Coffeyville Community College, NOC-Tonkawa has picked up victories at Cowley College winning 1-0, a 2-1 home victory against defending conference champion Neosho County Community College, and most recently own a 3-0 victory at Allen County Community College.
