SPEARFISH – Aberdeen Central scored twice in the first four minutes of the season and then held on for dear life.

The Golden Eagle boys’ soccer program took a quick 2-0 lead over an experienced Spearfish squad Friday evening, then fended off an onslaught of Spartan offense for the remaining 76 minutes, giving just one of those early goals back for a 2-1 win.

Creighton Aberle and Marcos Ramos Garcia put the Golden Eagles on the board early and Camden Fauth held his ground to send the game into the break with Central holding the lead.

Spearfish finally cracked through in the early going of the second half, which made the game’s final 30 minutes feel much longer, said Central coach Steve Cogley.

“We just held on that last 30 minutes,” Cogley said. “But I thought we played really well the first 15 minutes, on the road, first game of the year against a really good team.”

Cogley said Spearfish was relentless in applying pressure on the Golden Eagle defenders.

“Spearfish was pressing so hard, just sending everybody,” he said. “I loved our physicality. We were matching them. Guys were getting hurt and coming out and going back in. But we didn’t dictate our pace, the way we want to play.”

That pressure also forced the Golden Eagles into a style of play that’s not necessarily part of their practice plans.

“We needed to play more longer, flighted balls,” Cogley said. “And that’s not something we train for right now.”

Central did have some opportunities to score later in the second half after making some adjustments, but put their shots right on the goalkeeper, Cogley said.

Central will return to action today for a game against Douglas. That contest will mark the first one ever between the two teams.

Aberdeen Central 2, Spearfish 1
First half:
1, AC, Creighton Aberle (Denon Deuter), 2nd minute; 2, Marcos Ramos Garcia (Gabe Johnson), 4th minute;
Second half:
3, SPF, Coy Hamilton (46th minute).