The Clarkdale boys soccer team had two opponents Friday: Morton and frustration.

Down two starters, the Bulldogs were locked in a close MHSAA Region 5-1/2/3A contest at home against the Panthers, a contest they admittedly thought they should win comfortably. Clarkdale had a 1-0 lead at the half, but Morton spent a significant chunk of the final 40 minutes on the Bulldogs’ side of the field, getting off several shots on goal in the process.

The Clarkdale defense preserved the shutout, however, and a late goal by Avery Anders off an assist from Devin Clark finally put the game away as the Bulldogs won 2-0.

“It was a tough game,” Bulldogs coach Luke Smith said. “It’s not easy coming out when we’re missing two of our starters, so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but Morton looks way better than they did last year, so they caught us by surprise a little bit. To be able to come out and grind out a win like that, it feels good.”

In the 22nd minute, Clarkdale scored its first goal when junior Christian Warren found the back of the net off an assist by Ian Graham. At the break, Smith stressed to his players the importance of coming out of the half and scoring quickly, but it was Morton who put the pressure on the Bulldogs early in the final 40 minutes.

“Good teams win hard games, and that was a game where we kind of got dominated in the second half, and we probably shouldn’t have,” Smith said. “Bad teams give up two or three goals and lose that game, but the fact that we were able to stick through that, defend, defend, defend and then counter right there at the end and get the dagger goal is the sign of a really good team.”

That dagger goal was scored by Anders in the 75th minute, and he credited Clark for making a perfect pass on the play.

“I knew he was going to make the pass, and I knew it was going to come right to my feet,” Anders said. “I was just nervous about finishing, and I got it.”

Knowing it had iced the game made Anders feel like a weight had been lifted off him.

“It’s almost like my stomach dropped,” Anders explained. “After I scored, we had them 2-0, so I pretty much knew we were going to win the game.”

Bulldogs keeper Spencer Baggett had the shutout.

Clarkdale improved to 3-3 on the season, 2-0 in divisional play.

CLARKDALE 7, MORTON GIRLS 0

Kristen Phillips scored four goals for the Lady Bulldogs to help Clarkdale complete the sweep Friday night.

Laikyn Wilson, Maddie Gibson and Brooke Gibson each scored a goal for the Lady Bulldogs as well. The game was called after 50 minutes due to the seven-goal mercy rule.

“I feel pretty good,” Clarkdale girls soccer coach Brandon Rodgers said. “We’re starting to get some girls out of quarantine and things like that. We’re still short a couple of players right now and have been missing them for a couple of weeks, so we’re close to getting them back. We’re just glad to finally start playing again and getting some games in.”

Clarkdale (2-3-1, 2-0) will travel to Forest Tuesday for another Region 5-1/2/3A contest.