Following Delmarva Christian’s 7-0 victory over ESIAC rival Salisbury Christian, Royals coach Luke Shiderly asked his team if they enjoyed having fun playing soccer. Boy, did they.

Pouncing on the visiting Jaguars, the Royals hung four goals in the first half and three goals in the second half while preserving a clean sheet despite their starting keeper, Quinn Downs, going down with an injury.

Junior Harrison Schlabach said it is exciting playing in a high-powered offense.

“It's just a lot more fast-paced; I'm getting more lot more minutes, and it's just a good time,” Schlabach said.

Three players – Schlabach, Jay Parrish and Blake Dell – recorded braces for Delmarva Christian in the football score shutout. Schlabach also led his team in assists with two helpers, showing an improved confidence and touch along the right flank.

“It's more of a confidence thing,” Schlabach said. “I improved a lot from last year, and I feel like I got faster and bigger. Mostly, I would say I think this, this year's team is more connected – more like a family.”

Partying like a reunion, Delmarva Christian got contributions from all four grades in the win, including freshman Eli Chavez who struck a magnificent ball from distance to finish the scoring.

Defensively, the Royals secured their first clean sheet of the young season and with a high line did not allow much action in their half of the field. Junior James Baxter’s booming goal kicks and vocal leadership helped tighten things up on the back end.

“This year on defense, I feel like we've had a lot more people trying,” Baxter said. “I feel the pressure of showing them how to play and teaching them the ways.”

The junior flashed precision in his slide tackles and recovery.

“That's a mindset that takes a lot of self-control and it takes a lot of practice,” Baxter said.

Keeping the Jaguars off the board, Baxter thinks the clean sheet is huge for the Royals.

“A clean sheet for us this year will help us show that we can actually do it and we can stick with better teams than us,” Baxter said. “It gives us the motivation to keep on going and keep the streak alive.”

Senior Quinn Downs and sophomore Isaiah McCluskey combined to keep Salisbury Christian off the board with the latter replacing the former following an injury.