UNION — North Laurel’s run at a boys’ soccer state title came to an end on Thursday after dropping a 6-0 decision to state power Ryle.
The Jaguars dug themselves a 4-0 hole in the first half, and never recovered.
North Laurel finishes the season with a 15-6-3 record while the Raiders improved to 22-2-1 while running their unbeaten streak to 23 games.
The shut out loss marked the first time in 10 games the Jaguars were held without a goal, and only the third time this season.
North Laurel’s players have no reason to hang their heads, though. The Jaguars captured the 49th District championship along with the boys’ soccer program’s first 13th Region championship, and first state tournament win.
Ryle scored seven minutes into the match as Owen Schierberg placed a shot over North Laurel keeper Aydn Ebersole to give his team a 1-0 lead.
Ebersole kept the Jaguars’ deficit a 1-0 three minutes later after a save on the Raiders’ Josh Line’s free kick.
Diego Hoenderkamp pushed Ryle’s lead to 2-0 at the 21 minute mark while Line added a goal 10 minutes later on a pass from Hoenderkamp to give the Raiders a 3-0 advantage.
Anes Smajlovic found the back of the net on a loose ball off a corner kick a minute later to increase his team’s advantage to 4-0.
Line’s second goal of the game with 36:40 remaining in the second half gave Ryle a comfortable 5-0 advantage.
The Raiders’ Cooper Neace put the finishing touches on the win with a goal during the 74th minute.
