Goals are nice. Shutouts are nicer.
"Shutouts are the most important thing," Jefferson City senior Spencer Bone said after the Jays blanked Joplin 3-0 in the opening game Friday in the Capital City Invitational at the 179 Soccer Park. "We'd rather win 1-0 than 4-2."
Bone made sure it didn't finish 1-0 on Friday as he accounted for two of Jefferson City's goals.
"Spencer has a really high motor, he works and works and works," Jays coach Eddie Horn said. "He's our most dynamic player around the goal, he can beat guys off the dribble."
The win was the fourth straight for the Jays (4-2), all in shutout fashion.
"Having a lot of shutouts on our record going into the postseason is great for our confidence in the postseason because we know we can win close games," Bone said.
Bone got the Jays on the board five minutes into the contest. Cody Boyce played the ball over the top to Bone at the side of the Joplin net and Bone made a move, then lofted the shot into the top of the opposite corner of the net.
The goal came after Jays played an extended game of keep-away against the Eagle defense.
"We just tried spread the ball around, give everybody some touches," Bone said. "I think I caught them sleeping a little bit on defense and I finished it."
Just one minute later, Bone had a header go off the post on a corner kick that would have doubled Jefferson City's lead.
The Jays made it 2-0 with seven minutes remaining in the first half when Jordan Carron scored off an assist by Erich Sporleder.
The game could have been tied at 2 at intermission as Joplin had one shot go off the post and another bounce off the crossbar.
"I think we kind of took our foot off the gas and just kind of played after we got the first one," Horn said. "But it was nice to be up 2-0 at the half."
Bone tallied his second goal three minutes into the second half, assisted by Logan Horn.
"Erich and Logan and I were playing a triangle and Logan just slotted me the ball through space and I was able to finish again," Bone said.
Bone is a key player for the Jays, Eddie Horn said,
"The better Spencer plays, the better the team will play because he so dangerous around the goal," Horn said.
Jefferson City will play twice today in the Invitational, meeting Poplar Bluff at 9 a.m. and Raymore-Peculiar at 3 p.m.