Western High School boys varsity soccer opened conference play with a convincing 4-0 win over Pennfield on Thursday night. The Panthers wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. About five minutes into the match, Sam Heidenberg found Eli Parker, who finished with a tap-in to give Western an early 1-0 lead. Western continued to apply pressure and doubled its advantage roughly 10 minutes later when senior Luke Harrington found the back of the net. The Panthers controlled much of the first half and continued creating chances, but an outstanding performance from the Pennfield goalkeeper kept the score at 2-0 heading into halftime. The second half brought much of the same, with Western consistently creating opportunities and overwhelming Pennfield with shots and chances on goal. Pennfield’s goalkeeper continued to make impressive saves, including turning away an excellent top-corner effort from freshman Ethan Robinson. Western eventually broke through for its third goal when sophomore Josiah Rivera produced an excellent unassisted effort that went in off the post to make it 3-0. With about 15 minutes remaining, Braylin Jackson put an exclamation point on the night. Jackson fired a screamer into the top corner for his first varsity goal, giving Western a 4-0 advantage. Rivera picked up the assist on the goal. Western’s defense was equally dominant, holding Pennfield without a single shot on goal. The Panthers recorded more than 20 shots of their own, and all 24 players on Western’s roster entered the match. The win moves Western to 6-1-1 on the season. The Panthers return to non-conference action Saturday at Vicksburg, with JV kicking off at 9 a.m. and varsity at 11 a.m. Western returns to conference play Tuesday when the Panthers travel to Coldwater.