GC impressive in opening win over CSM
Hamilton scores twice as Turner earns first head coaching victory
Photo by Elizabeth Show
Darius Hamilton (11) had two goals and an assist Saturday in the Lakers’ 4-1 men’s soccer victory over visiting College of Southern Maryland. Also pictured is CSM’s Anthony Pereira.
Garrett College’s offensive philosophy is pretty simple: attack, attack, attack.
The Lakers did just that in Saturday’s 4-1, season-opening men’s soccer victory over visiting College of Southern Maryland. Darius Hamilton scored twice and added an assist, and Lucas Alonso Garcia contributed a goal and an assist as interim head coach Logan Turner earned his first collegiate coaching victory.
“That’s what our group does best – applying pressure and retaining possession,” said Turner, noting the Lakers’ speed on the wings helps key the offensive attack. “They get up and down the field very quickly.”
Garrett wasted no time putting its philosophy into action, creating two scoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes. Ben Lohr shot wide of the near right post just 30 seconds into the match and Hamilton shot wide of the near left post nine minutes later.
The Lakers finally converted with 34:51 left in the opening half. Hamilton took a Garcia pass on the left wing, juked two defenders, and blasted a shot into the left side of the goal to give Garrett a 1-0 lead.
Garcia made it 2-0 less than five minutes later on a header off Max Hinchy’s floater from the left wing into the box.
Hawk Blaine Ganley’s penalty kick four minutes later stalled the Lakers’ momentum and cut GC’s lead to 2-1 heading into the second half. Garrett, however, started the second half the same way the Lakers began the first, relentlessly attacking the Hawks’ goal.
Garcia, Hamilton, and Lohr all had shots go just wide of the post in the first seven minutes after halftime. The Lakers finally restored their two-goal lead when Chris Manherz drove down the right wing and put a pass into the middle to Hamilton, who pushed the ball past sliding CSM goalie Matthew Knapp just 12:01 into the second half.
Manherz nearly scored with just under 30 minutes remaining, but his rising shot ticked off the crossbar. Less than two minutes later, the Lakers gained a huge advantage when Knapp pulled down Hamilton on a breakaway, leading to Knapp’s red-card ejection and a man-advantage for the Lakers the rest of the way.
“We had noticed he [Knapp] was coming out pretty far,” said Turner. “On that play, he was last man back for them – there wasn’t much he could do. When you’ve got that kind of speed coming at you, there’s not much time to think.”
Jack Ferguson’s goal with less than 12 minutes remaining put the game away for the Lakers.
Garrett finished with an 11-4 advantage in shots that reflected the Lakers’ domination of the contest. GC netminder Wyatt Hull had to make just three saves to earn the victory.
Turner earned his first collegiate coaching win just three days after being named to the position in the wake of an unexpected coaching vacancy.
“Everyone here has made it a smooth transition, and the guys were behind me from the get-go,” said the 22-year-old Turner, who played soccer at Southern Garrett High and served as an assistant coach on GC’s 2025 coaching staff.
“Our defense did a great job – we just had one moment that got away from us,” said Turner of the foul in the penalty box that led to Ganley’s goal.
