BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN

CORRESPONDENT

On Cinco de Mayo, Elizabethton didn’t stop at five. The Cyclones scored seven in a 7-nil shutout against Happy Valley in the opening round of the district 1AA boys soccer tournament at Brown-Childress Stadium.

Junior striker Pedro Teixeira scored a three-goal hat trick while sophomore Dante Callahan had a pair of goals as EHS (11-3-2 overall) advanced to the regional round, awaiting University High who defeated Sullivan South 4-3.

EHS struck for a goal in the fifth minute of play as Teixeira scored within the penalty area with a shot that hung along the goal line for a moment after being partially stopped by HV goalkeeper Wyatt Hall.

In the 16^th minute, Teixeira assisted on Callahan’s first goal as he drove the ball into the Warriors’ end and fired a nifty left footed pass to Callahan who finished the play to give EHS a 2-nil lead. Just one minute later, Callahan struck again as a lapse in the HV back line resulted in a free ball coming to him. He finished the play off once again putting EHS up by 3.

“I thought we were a little flat in the first half,” said EHS head coach Bill McClay. “I challenged them to build momentum going into Thursday. We are one of 32 teams still playing and if we want to be one of 16, you want that game at home. We got to where we want to be, in the regional tournament and the first seed. Now we have to finish at home.”

The lead held up through the end of the half with the Cyclones holding a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal.

HV (0-13-0) finished up its inaugural season with some positive signs as the Warriors look to build the program from the ground up.

“I think we have got a lot of positives to start off with,” said Warriors head coach Carter Tucker. “Our keeper is real solid, and we have everyone returning. So now we have a full season under our belts and we should be good to go for next year.

“Right now I have to try to find players to play between my skill players,” he said. “We have a lot of first year players. In the off season I will have them working on ball handling skills and we’ll work from there.”

EHS worked the ball much better in the second half and Teixeira scored again in the 45^th minute with an assist from Teve Mushayamunda to give EHS a four goal lead. Three minutes later Teixeira finished off his hat trick with a strange goal.

Callahan fired a shot over the Hall’s head, hitting the crossbar and then the post as he chased after it. Teixeira nudged it into the net on the rebound.

In the 62^nd minute Mushayamunda fired a bullet past Hall when he fell on a loose ball in the HV penalty area and struck a one-timer that whistled past Hall. EHS now led 6-0.

In the closing two minutes, Teixeira collected his second assist of the contest as he aided Ryan Moye to finish off the scoring for this game.

“Today was about building momentum,” McClay said. “Now, each and every game, you have to raise it up a little bit more because your opponent will. I liked the fact the all the players passed the ball around and tried to get everyone involved. We will need to be playing our best and at each level of the new season, you have to up your game. And that keeps on increasing. We played a tough schedule and I haven’t seen any team on this side of the sectional that is as good as the team we are facing.”

Game time on Thursday will be 7 p.m.

EHS 7-0

HV 0 0 – 0

EHS 3 4 – 7

First Half

E – Teixeira (unassisted) 5:00

E – Callahan (assist – Teixeira) 16:00

E – Callahan (unassisted) 17:00

Second Half

E – Teixeira (unassisted) 45:00

E – Teixeira (assist – Mushayamunda) 48:00

E – Mushayamunda (unassisted) 62:00

E – Moye (assist – Teixeira) 78:00