(COVINGTON, La.) The Wolves took home the win in their opening district game on a sweltering Saturday afternoon (Feb. 17) against the Lower Alabama Bayhawks by a scoreline of 18-6. Both offense and defense had strong performances on the field, with the offense being especially deadly.

The Wolves came out to a strong start in the first quarter, going up 4-0 with a hat trick from Ian Varney and a fantastic dodge by Hanson Stuckey, where he slipped through the opposing defenders like a greased pig. The defense played smart and stopped any play before it could develop.

“As a whole, we played a solid game and messed well as a team,” defender and captain Robby Nolan said about the team’s performance. “Offensively, we came out scoring fast and often as we practiced, and we played them tough every quarter on defense. There are still a few kinks, but we played a physical game and left it all on the field.”

In the second quarter, the Bayhawks upped their offensive pressure while the Wolves continued to steadily add goals, resulting in a halftime score of 8-3.

The third quarter was similar to the second, however this time the defense was wary towards the Bayhawks offense and held them to a single goal while the offense scored another 4 by creating space for the many powerful scoring threats, as they’ve done up to this point in the game.

The fourth quarter capped the game nicely with the Wolves having their highest scoring quarter with 6 while only allowing 2 for the Bayhawks.

The Wolves dominated much of the game, taking advantage of the difference in technical skill between the two teams to take back possession when on defense and get the ball to the offense. When on offense, the Wolves played with an emphasis on moving the ball around the perimeter to create chances for shots. The Wolves’ defense struggled against the Bayhawks’ well-run fast breaks, which resulted in several goals for the other team.

“I thought the offense played well, and some guys really stepped up, like Ian Varney, and we were able to score from a variety of positions,” attackman and captain Chris Flood said.

The Wolves are off to a strong start this season, going 1-0 in District play and 3-0 in all games, and hope to bring the momentum from this game over to their next game against the Pascagoula Panthers this Saturday at 4 p.m. in M.R. Cole South Field in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

IMPORTANT WOLVES PLAYER STATS

Offense:

Ian Varney- 7 goals and 1 assist

Chris Flood- 3 goals and 3 assists

Jarrett Meibaum- 2 goals and 3 assists

Paxton Ballard- 2 goals and 2 assists

Austin Holincheck- 1 goal 1 assist

Hanson Stuckey- 1 goal

Sal Orlando- 1 goal

Merrick Coghlan- 1 assist

Santo Morales- 1 assist

Defense:

John Connor Flick- 10 saves

Jackson Gold- 1 forced turnover