Red Devils Open Season with 3-1 Win Over Edgewood

EUREKA – The Eureka men's soccer team tallied three goals in the second half and notched a 3-1 victory over Edgewood to open the 2023 season at McKinzie Field on Friday evening.

Santiago Herrera (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Colegio Americano de Guayaquil/Lincoln) put the Red Devils on the board in the 52nd minute when he finished a corner kick placed by Khalil Alleyne (Diego Martin, Trinidad/Fatima College/Lincoln).

The senior transfer stepped in front of a defender at the near-post and volleyed it into the opposite side to give the maroon and gold its first goal of the season.

The Red Devils held a 1-0 lead until freshman Eli Guyton (Carbondale, Ill./Carbondale) crossed it in from the left side to junior Teddy Wesoloski (McDonough, Ga./McDonough), who headed it in to the upper 90 on the left side for his first collegiate goal.  

Edgewood threatened to make things interesting late. With 3:28 remaining, the Eagles took advantage of a missed clearance in the back and scored on an assist from Noah Hook to Kevin Joyce.

They pressed for the equalizer, but the Red Devils put the match away in the final seconds. After a free kick by Michael Beaumont (Greenup, Ill./Cumberland) rolled back to the edge of the attacking third, the freshmen sent it back into the box. An Edgewood defender attempted to head it away from trouble, but it caromed backwards, and Guyton chased it down and headed it into the back of the net with four ticks left on the clock.

The Red Devils' first victory celebration of the year came shortly after.

The win was Eureka's first in a season opener since its 2-1 golden goal victory over Emmaus in extra time in 2019. Friday was the first-ever matchup between the Red Devils and the Eagles.

With its largest roster in program history this season, the Eureka showed off its considerable depth, playing 26 players.

Goalkeeper Brecken Cady (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) and Brayton Strawkas (Buffalo, Ill./Tri-City) each played a half and combined for three saves, but neither saw much action.

On Saturday at 12:30 p.m., the Red Devils (1-0) will turn around and take on another team that started its season off with a on Friday. Grinnell (1-0) opened their 2023 campaign with a 2-0 triumph over Coe.