Hernandez hat trick propels ’Cats

David Hernandez scored three goals—including two in a five minute span, to lead the Custer High School soccer team to a 4-3 win over the visiting Lead-Deadwood Golddiggers last Thursday afternoon.

“Our young players are starting to work together better,” assistant coach Casey Trandem said. “David’s hat trick is what we expect from him this year.”

Trandem noted the improvement the team showed since its 6-1 loss to Sturgis, saying the team played with more intensity and hunger.

Hernandez got the scoring started in the 22nd minute when he battled a Lead-Deadwood defender and the Golddigger goalie to punch in the ball off a scramble in front of the net following a shot by Levi Schryvers.

After that, the rest of the first half was mostly a defensive battle, but the Wildcats gave up a goal with only a minute left in the half off a direct kick from 25 yards out following a Custer foul.

Ten minutes into the second half Hernandez scored again off a penalty kick and then tacked on another goal four minutes later in the 59th minute off another rebound from a Schryvers shot. The team’s final goal came in the 66th minute, when Sloan Shorb found the back of the net off a pass from Chasen Cole.

Down 4-1, the ’Diggers made things interesting late, scoring a couple of goals, including a header by Broc Barthel, to cut the lead to one.

“Iâ��feel like the mood of the whole team was helped by a win, and Iâ��was very excited to see the growth from the first to the second game,”â��Trandem said.

The Wildcats will be back in action with a pair of home games this weekend, beginning with a 5 p.m. game Friday against Chamberlain. On Saturday, the team will host Mitchell Christian at 1 p.m.