BROOKINGS - The Brookings boys and girls soccer teams split a doubleheader at Fishback Soccer Park on Thursday night with the boys team earning a 7-0 victory and the girls team falling 4-3.

Boys

• Brookings 7, Mitchell 0

Coming off a last-minute loss at Harrisburg, the Brookings boys soccer team put forth an inspired effort on Thursday night, smashing Mitchell by a score of 7-0.

The Bobcats rallied from a 4-0 deficit in Tuesday’s game but ultimately lost from a goal in the 79th minute. While head coach Steve Binkley admitted the loss stung, Brookings used it as fuel to come out of the gates strong.

“I think nobody likes to lose at the end,” Binkley said. “There was definitely some frustration we were looking to get out.”

Junior Eberline was one player with an added layer of frustration after he missed the past two games after picking up a red card. His return to the field was felt immediately by the Bobcats as he scored in the 10th minute off an assist from Rylan Eide to open the game.

Eberline had multiple opportunities to add to the lead in the early moments of the game, hitting the crossbar in the 16th minute and the post in the 23rd minute. He finally broke through later in the first half scoring his second goal of the game from Drew Ton in the 31st minute. He later completed the hat trick with another helper from Eide in the 36th minute to put Brookings up 3-0.

“I think there was a little extra fire to be our guy at the top,” Binkley said of Eberline’s fast start. “We missed him for two games and it was equally good to have him back. He’s got the instincts to score. He’s just a really true striker so we knew how to play balls to him and how to use the runs that he makes.”

After dominating in the first half, Eberline got some of his teammates involved. Eide scored off a feed from Eberline to put Brookings ahead 4-0 in the 41st minute and Ton scored in the 59th minute from Park to put the Bobcats up 5-0.

Eberline recorded his second assist of the game on Forrest Giard’s goal in the 71st minute and Park scored a goal in the 77th minute to cap off a complete team effort.

“We talked a lot in practice and before the game about trying to stretch the field and create a few more gaps,” Binkley said of the Bobcats’ effort offensively. “I think they did a really good job of playing smart, attacking soccer. It wasn’t just Junior but it was Rylan getting opportunities it was James making things happen and Brayden Schreiber on the wing had a lot of shots and opportunities as well. I think they played together really well.”

The offensive effort was matched on the defensive end as the Bobcats held the Kernels to just two shots on the night. The defensive gameplan was a result of Brookings being down two goalkeepers and starting Lucas Wingate in net but Binkley credited Wingate and seniors Trenton Pederson and Cole Leisinger for limiting Mitchell’s opportunities.

“There were no mental mistakes or communication slip-ups,” Binkley said of the back end. “I think they did their job at centerback to make sure that nothing got through. There were no dangerous opportunities and I think for as many that we scored, I think we were qually proud that we didn’t let any in.”

The win came at a perfect time for the Bobcats, who snapped a three-game losing streak on Thursday night. They’ll now look to keep the momentum going as they host Sioux Falls Washington on Sept. 27 as part of homecoming week.

“That should be a really competitive game and it might [decide] where you’re going to sit in terms of a playoff seed,” Binkley said. “Both of the teams will be fighting quite a bit. It will be like a playoff atmosphere and that’s what you want. It will be a good test and we like to have them at home here in front of a big crowd. It should be a fun game for the boys.”

Girls

• Mitchell 4, Brookings 3

The Brookings girls soccer team showed plenty of fight on Thursday night but a late rally wasn’t enough as they fell to Mitchell 4-3.

The game got off to a hectic start as Mia Mullenmeister put Mitchell on the board with a goal in the second minute. The Bobcats answered immediately however as captain Maddix Archer put Brookings on the board one minute later with an assist from Desirae Johnson.

“It was pretty huge,” Brookings head coach Adam Juba said of Archer’s equalizer. “It was probably one of the earliest goals we’ve scored this season. It really says we’re here to play with them and we’re back to a tie game. In our minds it’s 0-0 at that point and there’s everything to fight for.”

Mullenmeister put the Kernels back on top with her second goal of the game in the 23rd minute but Archer came up with another goal in the 34th minute to send the Bobcats into halftime tied at 2-2.

Mitchell took the lead back shortly after halftime as Mullenmeister’s goal in the 41st minute made it a 3-2 game. Taryn Thomas gave the Kernels a two-goal lead in the 60th minute but Shae Lefers did a tremendous job to keep Brookings in it. Forced into emergency duty, the junior made 15 saves on the night and prevented Mitchell from expanding its lead.

“She did the best she could and I thought she played great,” Juba said of Lefers performance in net. “For not playing in goal for many years, she stepped in and did a great job.”

The Bobcats kept pushing to try to chip into the deficit and Elise Lefers came through, scoring in the 61st minute to make it a 4-3 game.

“It seemed like they held their line pretty deep and they just kind of waited for us to come at them,” Juba said of Lefer’s goal. “With Elise up there, she just pushes so hard and once that ball is in her area, she doesn’t hold off. She knows that she’s going to win that ball and she’s going to take it from whomever she wants.”

The Bobcats had several opportunities to tie the game up late as a free kick from Archer was stopped by Mitchell goalkeeper Tenley Peterson. Lefers also had a chance in the final minute but Peterson made the stop to help the Kernels hang on for the victory.

“We fought the entire game,” Juba said of his team’s effort. The fight that we had was incredible and the girls played until the very last second.”

At 3-7-1, Brookings will look to finish the regular season strong when they host Washington on Sept. 27.