By John Cummings

Contributing Writer

CENTERVILLE – Prior to each season, the Catholic Central boys soccer team sets two goals.

Win the league title and win districts.

Check and check.

The Irish advanced back to the Division III regional tournament with a 4-0 win over Yellow Springs Thursday night at Centerville High School to improve to 17-2-1 on the season.

“Every year, this is one of our main goals,” Irish junior Thor Beckdahl said after scoring twice and getting the assist on the game’s first goal. “We achieved our biggest goal, and it feels good, but now we got to go as far as we can from there. Anything can happen.”

The Irish accomplished their main goal – in part – by accomplishing a goal they have twice a game; score early.

Just 30 seconds into the game, Will Johnson flicked a corner kick from Beckdahl into the back of the net for a 1-0 Central Catholic lead. The goal marked the 28th goal by the Irish in the first minute of a game or a half this season.

“After that, we had to play catch up,” Yellow Springs coach Ben VanAusdal said after his squad finished 13-4-1 on the year. “The Irish were a little more pumped up than we were. They played harder than we did and there were moments where we just didn’t show up.”

Central Catholic pushed the lead to 2-0 at the break on Johnson’s second goal of the half as the Irish out shot the Bulldogs 7-1 in the first half. Less than five minutes into the second half, Beckdahl took a through ball from Jared Krupp and beat the Bulldog keeper for a 3-0 lead.

“Our goal is always to score early,” Central Catholic coach Shane Latham said. “The third goal was critical because it is hard to battle back from 3-0.”

Beckdahl got his second goal of the night with 17:06 left in the contest after maneuvering through three defenders in the box for a 4-0 margin before the Bulldogs forced Irish keeper Ollie Davis into two of his three saves in the second half. Junior Grant Reigelsperger had both shots, less than three minutes apart.

“We would just break down,” VanAusdal said. “We would have several good passes and then lose the ball. It is a credit to their defense. You could tell they were prepared for our players.”

Next up for the Irish, Summit Country Day, one of the two teams to defeat them during the regular season.