Last season, Monticello’s offense was electric against the man-to-man but struggled at times to score against the zone. The Mustangs just couldn’t move the ball well enough to create a lot of easy chances.
If Friday night’s 16-4 thrashing of Fauquier is any indication, Monticello, a year older and wiser now, seems to have found a knack for making the extra pass.
“We’ve really focused on that in the offseason and we’re really starting to key in on our offball movement and where to find that guy,” said Monticello coach Matt Hicks. “They’re really doing a great job of it.”
That starts with senior scorer Chase Phillips moving the ball to the open man on a regular basis. Phillips dished out four assists Friday against the Falcons to go with one goal. He helped set the table for his younger brother Brodie Phillips who had four goals, Jack Lee who had a pair of tallies, William Snipes who finished with two and Colin Price who had a hat trick before the break.
With the elder Phillips, the reigning West Central Division player of the year, drawing intense defensive attention, it makes sense for him to move the ball to the open man, but he wasn’t the only one setting the table. Pierce English also got in on the passing act with two assists out of the attack. That ball movement — when combined with a defense that created turnover after turnover — was a big reason the Mustangs rolled to a 2-0 start after an earlier week win over Culpeper.
“We talked about getting better every time we step on the field, every way we possibly can,” Hicks said. “I think we just took another step tonight toward getting better as a team.”
Tyler Wagner put together a dominant performance on the faceoff where he spearheaded a 19-2 Monticello advantage. Goalies George Van Dyke and Quinton Smith didn’t see much action, combining for just five saves as Fauquier struggled to put the ball on the cage.
Zach Chrisinger led Fauquier with three goals and five ground balls.
Monticello gets a week-long break before returning to the field against Rockbridge County Friday.
