Photo by Kim North St. Clairsville’s Lucas Causey (28) sends the ball towards the net during first-half action Thursday night in an Ohio Division IV boys’ sectional soccer tournament match at Red Devil Stadium. Causey had a goal and two assists as the Red Devils won, 6-1.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — When tournament time rolls around, the seeds are just a number. St. Clairsville nearly found out the hard way Thursday night.

After a sluggish first half that saw the top-seeded Red Devils (15-1-1) leading No. 14 Cambridge 2-1, the hosts tickled the twine four times in the second half for a 6-1 victory in an Ohio Division IV boys’ sectional soccer tournament match at chill-filled Red Devil Stadium.

“Cambridge came out like we expected them to. They came out and played strong on defense and it took us a while to figure things out,” St. Clairsville head coach Jeff Roberts said. “They came to play and gave us a fight for most of the match.”

Parker Galloway continues to look like a genius after deciding to play this year. The senior scored four goals, giving him 104 for his three-year career — he missed all of last season with a serious ankle injury. He also broke his own single-season program record and now has 44 net-finders this campaign.

“I am so glad I made the decision to come out and play my senior season,” the high-scoring Galloway said. “This team is something special and I can’t wait to prove it.”

Roberts said Galloway’s presence on the field draws a lot of attention.

“He always gives you that chance. Regardless of the score, you always know he has one up his sleeve,” Roberts said. “We’re comfortable playing close games because we know he can put one in the back of the net at any moment.”

With the win, the Red Devils, who captured the OVAC Class 4A Championship, earlier this month, advance to Tuesday night’s second round when they will once again play host as No. 7 Maysville visits. It routed No. 11 West Holmes, 9-1, also on Wednesday. That match begins at 6:30.

Galloway gave St. Clairsville a 1-0 lead in the third minute on its first shot of the game. Sending the ball towards the net from 35 yards, it somehow found its way past Cambridge goalkeeper Steele Britton.

“We know what we’re going against. We have to get shots on the target,” he explained. “I tell everybody that if they have an open shot, take it. You never know what the goalie is going to do with it.”

Eighteen minutes later, Galloway made it 2-0 when his laser along the artificial surface skimmed past Britton and into the cage.

The Bobcats (5-10-2) cut the deficit in half when David Garcia converted a penalty kick in the 28th minute. The Red Devils were whistled for a foul in the box, resulting in the PK. Garcia sent the ball to the left of St. Clairsville goalkeeper Talan Rice, but the senior dove the other way.

Four minutes later, Garcia was back to attempt another penalty kick, the result of a handball in the box against the hosts. This time, however, Garcia’s kick sailed over top of the cage as St. Clairsville dodged a bullet.

Lucas Causey gave the Red Devils some breathing room on an outstanding individual effort. Receiving the ball near midfield, the senior dribbled around one defender on the left wing before pushing the ball past another to create a breakaway for himself. He nudged the ball past a charging Britton and then watched it slowly roll into the goal for a 3-1 lead in the 56th minute.

Galloway made it 4-1 in the 59th minute and upped the count to 5-1 with a penalty kick of his own — right down the middle. It resulted after he was tackled in the box.

“As soon as I get fouled, I know where I am going (with the shot),” he noted. “If I change my mind, I usually end up missing. If I stick with it, I go with it.

Junior Mavrik Malin, a two-sport standout, capped the scoring when he charged to the net and chipped the ball over top of a down-and-out Britton in the 72nd minute.

“I can’t do it (score) without all of these teammates,” he said. “They work their tails off all of the time, not only in practices but in the classroom, as well. “It’s all because of them.”

Also logging an assist was Jamison Young.

Rice finished with three saves, with only one coming in the second 40 minutes. Britton ended with eight.