The Bainbridge High School Bearcats soccer team shut out the Dougherty High Trojans 8-0 in Albany Tuesday. 

The Bearcats, who are 7-0 in Region 1-AAAA play and 9-3 overall, took a 2-0 halftime lead. Sophomore forward Leroy Rivera kicked in his team’s first goal from 12 yards out. They went up 2-0 in the 38th minute when senior Mauriso Granados centered a pass to Rivera who again scored give the Bearcats a 2-0-halftime lead.

The Bearcats scored three more goals in a six-minute span early in the second half to increase their lead to 5-0. The third goal came in the 42nd minute when senior defender Alex Ward converted a penalty kick following a handball by Trojan defender in the penalty area. Goals by Rivera and senior forward Jaycee Castro scored the fourth and fifth goals with assists from Contreras and sophomore midfielder Misael Rodriguez.

Contreras scored the Bearcats sixth goal in t he 61st minute after taking a pass from Rivera.

Rivera scored the seventh goal himself in the 67th minute. Senior midfielder Michael Bush scored the Bearcats final goal from six yards out in the 74th minute.

Coach Chip Ariail praised his team for their strong attacking mode.

“We consistently attacked the Dougherty goal, with multiple shots,” he said.

The team celebrated a 6-2 road victory over the Americus-Sumter County High School Panthers last Friday

They took a 1-0 lead over the Panthers when sophomore forward Leroy Rivera powered a direct free kick from center just outside the Panthers penalty area through a player wall and into the right post in the 12th minute.

Midfielder Jesus Contreras stole a pass at the top of the Panthers penalty area, and kicked in a goal from 12 yards out in the 15th minute to increase the Bearcats lead to 2-0.

The Panthers cut the advantage to 2-1 in the 19th minute when a forward got into the Bearcats penalty area, worked himself through the defense and kicked in a goal from seven yards away.

In the 28th minute junior forward Jaycee Castro took a through pass from Rivera and kicked it in from eight yards out to go up 3-1. Rivera increased the advantage to 4-1 when he took a crossing pass from Contreras and shot it past the Panthers goal tender from six yards out.

The Bearcats cut the Panthers lead to 4-2 when they lofted in a corner kick that was first deflected by Bearcats goal keeper Bryce Williams and landed at the feet of a Panthers player who quickly shot it into the goal.