DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
Taking on a team that had not won a game in 23 tries, the Bellmont Braves fell to Fort Wayne Snider by a shutout in both the JV and the varsity contests Wednesday night at home.
The visitors arrived late, but when they got on the field, they scored twice early in the JV game, holding on at the end for a 2-0 victory. Inspired by their understudies, the Panthers scored three times without reply from the winless Braves and celebrated accordingly after the match.
Parker Frietas started the game in goal and was put to work early and often in the opening 40 minutes. Evan Slater went down the left side for the Panthers and clanked a shot off the far post on the ground for the game’s first real chance.
Bellmont responded and in the eighth minute Jake Hackman flicked the ball over a defender into the path of Jack Johnson, who sent a left-footed cross across the box to Owen Adams, who connected well on a header, but he, too, hit the far post.
Snider’s counter attack off the ensuing goal kick gave Christofer Guerrero a shot on goal, but the theme continued as Frietas was saved by the crossbar and the game remained scoreless.
The Braves might have had a different outcome had a moment in the 21st minute played out more in their favor. Jack Johnson, who was lurking throughout the first half and hungry for a deep long ball, finally got in behind the defense and was off to the races. He was hauled down by the last defender and, unlike the professional game, where a foul of such consequence would warrant a straight red card, the Panther man was shown only yellow. Bellmont wasted the chance on the ensuing free kick and were contained.
Frietas’ best moment came in the 27th minute when freshman Alfredo Marin made a run to the near post after turning the corner on the back line, forcing the senior keeper to make an outstanding save to his left.
Snider broke through for the first goal of the game in the 34th minute as the talented Victor Segura slotted a rebound home for a 1-0 lead.
After the break, Bellmont committed their own foul on a breakaway forward, handing the Panthers a direct free kick in a dangerous position. Guerrero took full advantage of the positioning and fired a goal over the wall and past a diving Frietas to double the Panther lead.
The Braves seemed defeated after the long goal and just five minutes later, John Carlos Badillo scored from even deeper than Guerrero for a third, wrapping up the first win for the Panthers since they beat New Haven back in October of 2024.
Bellmont did welcome back their other senior goalkeeper, handing Xavior Palacios just under 30 minutes between the posts to see out the game. He made one outstanding save to his left to deny Segura a brace in the 65th minute.
The Braves will seek their first win of the season again at Columbia City Wednesday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
34′ – Victor Segura (S)
46′- Christofer Guerrero (S)
51′- JohnCarlos Badillo (S)
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