Girls soccer: Jolee Larson scores 3 goals in 2 minutes as Indian Creek drops DePue-Hall

WATERMAN – Jolee Larson is a distance runner for the Indian Creek track team, but she sprinted to three goals in less than two minutes for the Timberwolves’ soccer team Tuesday.

Larson got a hat trick to break open a three-goal game as the Timberwolves knocked off DePue-Hall, 8-0, at Pack Park at Indian Creek Middle School.

“I just changed positions. I usually play center-mid, and they moved me up to forward for a couple minutes, so that gave me more opportunities to score,” Larson said. “It was really just the passing. A lot of people gave me good through balls, and if you hustle after the ball when it bounces off the keeper, it’s an easy goal.”

The Timberwolves scored twice 30 seconds apart in the third minute, first when junior Emma Turner connected in front of the net to open the scoring, then Isabella Turner followed on a breakaway for a 2-0 lead.

In the seventh minute, Isabella Turner fired a rocket that was deflected by the goalie, but Emma Turner charged the net for the rebound and the score.

It took 12 minutes for the Timberwolves to score again. Larsen connected on a one-timer up the right side with 21:36 left, then 1:02 later fired another shot that didn’t connect, but she raced for the rebound and knocked it home. Only 55 seconds later she connected for her third goal.

Indian Creek coach Scott McClure said he was glad to see his team charging the net so well.

“One of our goals coming out today was kind of win the possession game and work the ball,” McClure said. “And then we make sure we crash the net and finish goals we have chances of scoring. I think we did a good job of that.”

Emma Turner got her hat trick in the 43rd minute to cut the game time in half. Less than a minute later, but with 18:32 left on the clock, Isabella Turner got her hat trick.

Not only does IC (4-1) have three more games this week, but the track team has two meets, giving Larson a busy week.

“Oh my gosh, it’s so tiring,” Larson said. “This week I have a lot. I have two track meets and three soccer games. It’s a lot, but it’s good because I’m a distance runner, so the soccer gives me conditioning for track. And it’s nice because I always have something going on.”

McClure said the team has good chemistry that has powered the squad so far. Larson agreed.

“Coming in, we were thinking we weren’t going to do as well,” Larson said. “It’s just really fun. We all get along really well. A lot of it is the ... energy of the team is really good. We’re all friends, and we know where to pass. It’s just a fun team, and that makes us do well.”

DePue-Hall coach Jose Mejia said the team did better than last time out in its only other game, a 10-0 loss to La Salle-Peru.

Lizbeth Paz had a couple of strong shots for the Little Giants, but Molly Feitlich turned away both.

“I think she’s one of the better players we have on the team,” Mejia said. “She’s the one who has the most control of the ball.”