Munemo Registers Hat Trick to Lead Mounties in Rout
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — It was a dream come true for the Mount Greylock boys soccer team in Thursday's Division 5 Sweet 16 contest.
George Munemo scored two goals in the first four minutes and went on to record a hat trick in a 7-1 win over Keefe Tech.
"You dream about that kind of thing happening," Mounties coach Blair Dils said of the fast start. "I could tell the boys were pretty amped before the game. They just had a certain energy level that, you know, only shows up for the big games.
"But to just come out and bang one right away, it kind of settles the nerves a little bit. You can get really hungry and go after that second goal, and that's what we did."
The first goal came when Henrik Bingmann played a cross into the 18 from deep on the left wing. The ball deflected off a Keefe Tech defender to Munemo, who buried a shot to give the Mounties a 1-0 lead with just 1 minute, 14 seconds off the clock.
Less than two minutes later, Munemo scored another unassisted goal to double the lead.
"We knew we had to start hot because Keefe Tech is a good team," Munemo said. "They've been playing well. It's important for our team to start well, so to get those two early goals was important."
The Mounties kept the pressure on after that hot start, getting two chances from Munemo around the eighth and 10th minutes.
Then, in the 12th, John Manuel Morales converted a direct free kick from just outside the 18, going upper 90 to make it a 3-0 contest.
Late in the half, Mount Greylock added two more goals just moments apart.
First, Munemo converted an assist from Morales to complete his hat trick. Then, with a little more than two minutes left in the half, Josh Rudin headed in a corner kick to make it 5-0.
The visiting Broncos were able to get on the board just before half with a goal from Nicholas Xavier.
And Keefe Tech was able to generate some offense in the second half, including two more shots on goal.
But Mount Greylock was never really threatened, and it padded its lead midway through the half when Declan Rogers connected on a tough angle shot from the left wing and Liam O'Keefe knocked one in just more than a minute apart.
Dan Warren played the majority of the game in Mount Greylock's goal but split time with Lex Anagnos in the second half. The pair combined to make four stops.
Mount Greylock's offense, which scored three goals in three games in the Western Massachusetts tournament, has 11 goals in its two state tournament games so far.
Munemo has four of those goals and seven goals overall this season after Thursday's win.
"We're playing him in different positions," Dils said. "In the beginning, we had him in the midfield. Now, he's our striker. He plays with his back to the goal. He's a big, strong target. He's able to turn and get shots on net. He's just picking his spots really well now."
Mount Greylock (10-6-5) advances to Sunday's state quarter-final round, where it will meet either No. 1 seed Bromfield or Georgetown, who play on Friday afternoon.