(TRINIDAD, Colo.) – Trinidad State opened the 2017 soccer season with a great showing at Los Niños park Tuesday afternoon. Despite a long lightning delay at halftime, the Trojans rolled to a 4-0 win over Garden City Community College. The Trojans, ranked sixth in the NJCAA national pre-season poll, got all four goals in the second half to secure the win.

Both squads had good shots to score before early, but the keepers were up to the task keeping a clean sheet at the break. Before the teams returned a bad storm rolled through the Trinidad area dumping more water on an already wet field and chasing the players and fans to their vehicles with a long lightening delay.

When the teams returned, the Trojans took control right away. TSJC's 21-goal scorer from last season, Biska Biyombo, was a force up front getting good looks and rocking a shot off the woodwork early in the half. Later on, Hakim Williams sent a pretty through ball to Christopher Badibengi who put the Trojans up in the 59'. A few minutes later TSJC got numbers forward, and through some very unselfish play by Biyombo and Marvin Rivas, moved the ball around to a wide-open Ruben Ramirez who placed it into the back of the net. In the 80' Jonathan Ordaz took a pass from Khori Edmond in the six-yard box to make it 3-0. Finally, Badibengi would get his brace, muscling his way across the top of the 18 and powering a shot past the keeper.

The Trojans are 1-0 on the season and will face a difficult challenge this weekend. They travel to Great Bend, Kansas to face #11 Eastern Florida State College on Friday and Barton Community College on Saturday. In total they will play eight road contests before returning to Trinidad for seven straight home contests in late September/early October.