The Perryville soccer team has been in a bit of a slump lately.
The Pirates started the season at 6-2 and lost four of their last five games. Partly because the Pirates have played annual powerhouse Jackson and bigger schools such as Northwest and also because the Pirates have been suffering some injuries to key players.
The Pirates had to play through those injuries this past week at the Jr. Billiken Classic.
“I thought we could have done a little better,” Perryville coach Jerry Fulton said. “If we would have had everybody healthy, some of the results could have been different.”
Perryville was down approximately five starters during the tournament and felt the effects early as they fell to St. Louis University High School, the No. 2 ranked team in Class 4, 6-0.
The Pirates then faced O’Fallon and fell 3-1 with the lone goal coming from Aden Garris off an assist from Kale Adams.
“I thought we were in that game for a long time,” Fulton said. “If everyone would have been healthy that game could have been different.”
Perryville brought up three players from the junior varsity squad to play and they came away with the win to salvage a game in the tournament over Parkway South 2-1.
Brevon Nuyt scored right before halftime to tie the game and Garris scored on a penalty kick to secure the win.
Injuries have been a somewhat of a problem for Perryville this season as goalkeeper Waylon Huber was injured about 35 minutes into the season and he has since returned to action. Senior goalkeeper Ashton Anschultz broke his foot in the meantime and is lost for the season.
“The injuries have continued from there and we have had to make some changes to the lineups and people’s positions along the way. Hopefully, the guys can get back quickly and we can get back on track. It is what it is right now. We took our lumps and still here.”
Perryville has played Hickman (No. 15 in Class 4), and still has Lindbergh on the schedule and they are in the top 10 in Class 4.
“We have been holding our own in these games for stretches and I think that should bode well for us in the future,” Fulton said. “It has been a weird season for us so far. I have never experienced this many injuries in one season.”
Perryville will attempt to get back to their winning ways as they take on Saxony Lutheran Thursday.
