Fairbanks boys soccer head coach Matt Humphrey (back to camera) is among those watching Thursday evening’s action against West Jefferson. Also pictured is one stand of the new portable lights that were installed before the match on the Panthers’ field. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
History was made Thursday evening when Fairbanks’ boys soccer team defeated West Jefferson, 4-0.
The game marked the first time that lights were used on the Panthers’ pitch.
The system, which is powered by diesel, is being rented for a month to add lighting to the FHS home field as daylight escapes the area earlier.
“This is kind of an experimental thing,” said Panther head coach Matt Humphrey.
The lighting will help both Fairbanks’ boys and girls teams if either one earns a home game for the upcoming tournament.
“We won’t have to start our tournament games at 4:30 p.m.,” said Panther athletic director Larry Morris. “We also won’t have to worry about tournament games ending before it gets too dark.”
Fairbanks’ Dylan Tobe (11) and a West Jefferson opponent chase after possession of the ball Thursday evening. Tobe helped lead the Panthers to a 4-0 victory. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Editor’s note: a full story about the lighting system will appear in Monday’s Journal-Tribune.
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Dylan Tobe scored a pair of goals during the opening half of the Panthers’ victory.
He gave FHS a 2-0 margin on goals scored at the 34:00 and 28:44 marks.
Eli Feller took an assist from Tobe to push Fairbanks out to a 3-0 margin with 19:50 remaining until intermission.
Cade Ziegler tallied the final goal as the Panthers scored late in the opening half.
The victory upped Fairbanks’ record to 6-3-0 overall and 2-1-0 in the Ohio Heritage Conference.
The Panthers are scheduled to host Grandview at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Lady Panthers win
The Fairbanks girls soccer squad scored a 5-0 victory at West Jefferson.
FHS tallied its first goal on a cross from Anna Poling to Ellie Carter at the 8:41 mark of the opening half.
The second goal came just 1:19 later by Addie Thrush.
That put the Panthers up 2-0 just ten minutes into the match.
The third goal of the half came from another cross by Poling to Thrush.
That score gave the Lady Panthers a 3-0 advantage with 13 minutes left in the half.
The second half opened with Thrush adding her third goal of the night just three minutes into the half.
The final goal came from Kendra Turner with 10 minutes left in the match.
Madi Cook of FHS was credited with one save in the net.
The Roughrider keeper had 18.
The 7-3-0 Panthers (4-0-0 in the Ohio Heritage Conference) will travel Tuesday for the rescheduled match with Tree of Life.