Senior forward Trenton Pavoris was one of three Prairie Ridge players to score a goal during the first 10 minutes of the team’s Fox Valley Conference boys soccer match against Jacobs on Thursday.

Looking for a fast start, Prairie Ridge seized control early and overcame strong midfield play from the Golden Eagles, who took one back but were unable to erase the three-goal deficit. Pavoris, a returning forward from Prairie Ridge’s third-place state team last year, finished with two goals to lead the Wolves over Jacobs 4-1.

“In our last couple of games, we started slow and sluggish in the first five [minutes],” Pavoris said. “We knew that it would be important to start fast, especially since we were playing against a good conference opponent.”

The Wolves (7-2-1, 2-0 FVC) needed just three minutes to score their first goal of the match. On a free kick, Pavoris sent a ball toward the Jacobs net that ricocheted off a four-man wall of Golden Eagles. The ball found its way to sophomore midfielder Alex Zinevich, who gained position in front of the Jacobs net and tapped it in for the goal.

Prairie Ridge took a 2-0 lead during the fifth minute, when senior forward Mateo Torres put a right-footed cross in front of the box that Pavoris blasted passed Jacobs goalkeeper JuanDiego Vargas and into the net. In the 10th minute, Pavoris carried the ball down the near sideline and rolled a well-timed pass to midfielder Conor D’Antonio, who converted the assist to give the Wolves a three-goal advantage.

“I missed some chances early in the season, but I’ve scored a couple goals over our last couple of games, and it feels great,” Pavoris said. “We won the conference last year, and we’re playing well this season. This is a good win for us to carry our momentum into next week.”

Although Jacobs (2-5-1, 1-1 FVC) faced a steep deficit, the Golden Eagles turned up the pace and started winning possession in the middle third, which created more runs and shots on goal offensively. Jacobs midfielder Markus Bonilla had a great chance in the 31st minute, but a diving save from Prairie Ridge goalkeeper Christopher Zinevich, who finished with six saves, kept Jacobs off the board.

“We mentally lacked focus tonight,” Jacobs head coach Colin Brice said. “We play a good brand of soccer, but when we’re not ready mentally, it’s tough to compete against a solid team like Prairie Ridge.”

The Golden Eagles finally broke through in the 33rd minute, when midfielder Jackson Foley beat Zinevich to a ball near the top of the Prairie Ridge box and carried it into the goal.

Both teams finished with two corner kicks and six shots on goal during the first half.

“With 15 minutes left in the first half, we started creating chances and playing good soccer,” Brice said. “In the second half, we provided good opportunities in the final third, but we couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. We need to regroup, refocus and have a short memory since we have a game against South Elgin on Saturday.”

Jacobs continued applying the pressure early in the second half, nearly making it a one-goal game on a low line-drive shot from Foley in the 59th minute. A diving effort from Zinevich extinguished the scoring threat, however.

Prairie Ridge capitalized on the big stop, with Torres and Pavoris connecting on another goal, this time in the 66th minute.

“Our teamwork and good communication,” Torres said when asked about the keys to success on offense. “In the first five minutes, we knew we had to stay focused on the attack. If we gave everything in those first five minutes, we knew we would score.”

Vargas totaled three saves for the Golden Eagle defense, while Bonilla and Foley each posted two shots on goal for the Jacobs side. Pavoris, Alex Zinevich and D’Antonio all had two shots on goal for the Wolves.