Demopolis scores six straight to beat Holt 7-1

March 8, 2016March 8, 2016 Jeremy D. Smith AHSAA, Alabama, Demopolis, demopolis high school, DHS, prep sports, soccer, Tigers

20160308 DHS soccer vs Holt-5580 — 3-8-2016 — Demopolis, Ala. — Demopolis’ Adam Brooker watches as his shot squeezes by Holt’s goal keeper for a goal.

Demopolis (8-1) scored six unanswered goals to notch an area win over Holt Tuesday night.

After Adam Brooker opened the scoring by trickling a shot inside left post with 21:27 to play in the first half, Holt responded with a Josh Bearden goal at the 8:34 mark to tie it.

Cristian Velez put his team in a 2-1 just before half by burying a penalty kick into the left corner of the net with 1:09 before intermission.

The Tigers stretched the less than three minutes into the second half when Brooker took an assist from Velez and connected on a shot to put his team up 3-1. Velez followed with an unassisted effort at the 28:00 mark. Brooker found his third goal of the evening with 24:42 to play. Velez then assisted Brooker’s fourth score with 21:20 left.

“I think we took smarter shots. We had (Velez) and Brooker working together pretty good and when those two are on, our team is going to be on,” Demopolis coach Bert Rice said. “We had a lot better shot selection the second half than we did the first one and we took advantage of those opportunities.”

Velez capped the scoring with 20:25 to play.

“We’ve got a bunch of players who can really contribute. When you do have more than one offensive threat, they’ve got to respect that,” Rice said, noting the complementary presence of Velez and Brooker in the Demopolis lineup. “They’re different players, but equally effective players. It’s definitely tough to defend.”

The Tigers are set to host Hoover Friday night.

“What I look for out of a game like that, regardless of the outcome, is a winning mindset. If we go in there and play the way we’re capable of playing, I’m not worried,” Rice said. “If we play our best and play our hardest, everything will work out. I’m not concerned with the outcome as much as I am the effort preparing for it and the effort in the game.”