CRESAPTOWN — Sammy Scritchfield scored four goals, leading Calvary to a 6-0 rout of Bishop Walsh to kick off the 2025 season on Tuesday at Liberty Field.
Calvary wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with Scritchfield accounting for half of his scoring output during a four-goal first half.
Scritchfield’s first goal came at the 7:27 mark off a beautiful free kick that curved over the Bishop Walsh defense into the top right corner of the net.
Jake MacGray gave Calvary a 2-0 lead at the 9:01 mark as Scritchfield slid MacGray the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and MacGray placed the ball into the corner of the goal.
Calvary Goalkeeper Peyton Poland, who made nine saves in goal, followed with a huge punt that found a sprinting Blake Dwire in stride at the six-yard box. He was able to punch it in making it 3-0 Calvary at the 15:00 mark.
Scritchfield ended the first-half scoring in the 28th minute, as he took a MacGray assist that split two Bishop Walsh defenders right to Scritchfield who drilled it.
In the second half at 43:17, Scritchfield picked off a goal kick from Bishop Walsh and dribbled it down inside the box to complete his hat trick. Scritchfield found the back of the net one last time at the 73:29 mark, dribbling the ball from left to right across the 18 into the right corner.
While the Calvary offense was firing on all cylinders, the its defense impressed equally, shutting down Bishop Walsh’s skilled duo of Carson Hamelin and Jackson Miller.
Senior captains Chase Murphy and Gerald Mihailovich anchored the backline, supported by Silas Leith and Hayden Kamauf.
Mihailovich provided a defensive highlight, sprinting back to the goal as a ball bounced over the Calvary keeper’s hands. Mihailovich caught up to the ball on a sliding play at the goal line and was able to get enough on the ball to keep it from crossing the line, preserving the cleansheet.
Poland was a brick wall in between the posts, making several crucial saves throughout the match, including a diving stop on a penalty kick attempt. Poland’s leadership and shot-stopping abilities were instrumental in securing the shutout for the Eagles.
The Calvary midfield controlled the tempo of the game, with MacGray and Elijah Ziler tirelessly working to win balls and maintain possession. Their relentless work ethic and strategic positioning allowed the Eagles to dictate play and create scoring opportunities.
Calvary outshot Bishop Walsh 16-11 and earned eight corner kicks to Bishop Walsh’s four.
Calvary (1-0) hosts Great Commission on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday marked Bishop Walsh’s first game as a probationary Mason-Dixon Christian Conference member.
The Spartans (0-1) head to Heritage on Thursday at 5:15 p.m.