By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural senior Easton Bradstreet entered the 2022 soccer season with lofty goals.
But even Bradstreet admits that he's been surprised by his red-hot start to the year.
Washburn Rural senior Easton Bradstreet, splitting two De Soto defenders, scored four goals for the second time this season in the Junior Blues' 5-0 non-league win over De Soto Thursday night at McElroy Field. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Bradstreet recorded his second four-goal game of the young season in Washburn Rural's 5-0 non-league win over De Soto Thursday night at McElroy Field, raising his goal total to 11 in just four games for the 4-0 Junior Blues.
Bradstreet has scored at least one goal in every game with multiple goals in three of Rural's four games.
"Honestly, yes I am (surprised),'' Bradstreet said. "Some goals these past few games have been just ridiculous and I couldn't even imagine having 11 right now.
"Teammates are finding me with the ball and they're doing everything they can to get it to me and I'm finding the right place at the right time.''
Former Rural star Austin Halsey is the school single-season regular-holder with 30 goals and Bradstreet would love to take a run at that mark.
"Obviously I want to set the record, that's the goal, but I'm just trying to get as many as I can get,'' he said. "It's a lot more fun when you're scoring.''
Freshman Brandon Hamilton (right) celebrates his first-half goal in Thursday's 5-0 Washburn Rural soccer win over De Soto. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural freshman Brandon Hamilton gave the Junior Blues the only goal they would need at the 33:42 mark of the first half off an assist from junior Griffin Heinen and Bradstreet did the rest.
Bradstreet gave Rural a 2-0 halftime lead with a goal at the 5:07 mark off an assist from Ty Stead and he scored all three Junior Blue goals in the second half, leaving the game after his fourth goal with 8:31 remaining.
Hamilton was credited with two assists while juniors Ethan Uhlrig and Brayden Lehnherr combined for the shutout in goal.
Rural had been forced to double overtime in its previous game against Wichita Northwest (4-3 Junior Blue win) and Rural coach Brian Hensyel thought his team took a big step forward in Thursday's win.
"We've got a lot of new people, a lot of new faces on the team and the first three games were kind of a perfect example of what a season can look like -- one great game, one average game and then maybe a not great performance,'' Hensyel said. "We just want to be the most consistent team we can be. Northwest gave us all we can handle and it was probably good for us to maybe get knocked down a peg and have to get back to working hard, which we did this week, and tonight was our best performance so far this season.''
WASHBURN RURAL 5, DE SOTO 0
De Soto (0-3-1) 0 0 -- 0
Washburn Rural (4-0-0) 2 3 -- 5
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Easton Bradstreet 4, Brandon Hamilton. Assists: Brandon Hamilton 2, Griffin Heinen, Ty Stead.
