Traverse City West continues soccer domination over Central

TRAVERSE CITY - The 13th-ranked Traverse City West Titans jumped out an early lead en route to a convincing 7-2 victory over their crosstown rivals from Traverse City Central on Tuesday evening.

It was the fifteenth consecutive win for the Titans in the series against the Trojans, dating back to the districts in 2017.

Four different Titans scored in the first half. Jackson Cote got the scoring started midway through the first half off of a corner kick by Aidan Orth. Dougie Rice then doubled the lead a few minutes later with a shot from outside of the box. Aidan Orth notched the first of his three goals on the game to make it 3-0. And Keegan Smith gave the Titans a 4-0 advantage by scoring late in the half.

Traverse City would build that lead to 6-0 on a pair of Orth goals in the second half before Central finally struck for their first goal of the game, on a penalty kick taken by Geordie Richmond.

Leland Lyon netted the final goal for West on a rebound play off of a free kick to make it 7-1, and Central got a late goal from Asher Paul.

“I think the boys answered my challenge,” Titan head coach Matt Griesinger said. “My challenge yesterday at training was to recognize those moments that you are being emotional, and instead kinda turn that into passion.”

“I love it when it’s emotional, physical, anything,” T.C. West senior Ben Carlson said. “When the ref’s calling everything, it just makes the game more intense.”

Orth finished the night with three goals and an assist, while Lyon tallied a goal and a pair of assists.

“It’s always a special game,” Titan senior Jackson Cote said. “It’s a cross-town rival. You get new sophomores in each year that get to experience it, so it’s a fun game.”

With the win, the Titans (3-1) tied the Trojans (3-1) for second place in the Big North Conference, just behind Petoskey (3-0-1).

Traverse City West (9-1-1) hosts Gaylord on Thursday in another Big North matchup, while Traverse City Central (3-4) travels to Petoskey on the same night.