JC advances to final

YORKTOWN — The Patriots weren’t quite prepared when Logan Pryon fired his free kick that ended up tying the game.
They were, however, more than ready to respond.
It took Jay County barely more than two minutes to reclaim the lead on an Alex Abbot goal as it advanced to the Class 2A Sectional 15 boys soccer sectional championship game with a 2-1 victory Wednesday over the Delta Eagles.
“We knew we had to regroup,” said Abbott. “We knew that we could all come together and get the goal.”
Jay County led for nearly 40 minutes before the Eagles (4-10-1) earned the free kick that tied the game. The Patriots failed to get their wall set up in front of Pryon, and the Delta sophomore took advantage as he tied the game with 28:50 on the clock in the second half.
That goal didn’t faze JCHS, which came right back to grab the advantage on a play that started with a Zane Shreve pass up the right side. Alex Abbott and Colton McCombs executed a give-and-go, with Abbott eventually fighting off an Eagle defender and lofting a left-footed shot over goalie Dylan Christman to the left corner.
“Give the kids credit for not dropping their heads. … They came back and they got that one quick,” said Jay County coach Alan Bailey of the score at the 26:45 mark. “That was big.
“It was like, bang-bang-bang. We just got one or two touches on the ball and down the field it goes. It was just what you want. It’s what you strive for your team to do.”
The goal ended a long scoreless streak for Abbott, who had seven goals in the Patriots’ first nine games but had not scored since the first half of a 5-2 win over Wapahani on Sept. 11.
“Coach told me I have to take every hit I’ve got,” said Abbott. “He knows I can put it in the back of the net. I’ve just been waiting and waiting for this goal to happen.”
JCHS (10-8) will play in its sixth straight sectional championship game when it takes on Yorktown (10-6) at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Tigers won their sectional semifinal game 6-0 Wednesday over Muncie Southside.
The Patriots had won three straight titles before falling 4-1 to Yorktown last season.
“We’re going to have to play physical and take the game to them,” said Bailey. “They’re a really strong passing team. …
“We’re just going to have to bring our A game. We’re going to be the underdogs.”
Jay County (10-8) took the lead early Wednesday after the Eagles’ Reed Borgmann fouled Abbott inside the 18-yard box. Alex Dunn took the ensuing penalty kick and sent it to the right corner for the 1-0 advantage with 27 minutes on the clock.
“That was a good feeling,” said Dunn, who had missed a penalty kick for the first time in seven attempts this season in the Patriots’ 3-0 win over Muncie Central in Monday’s sectional opener. “The reason I missed the other one is I over-thought it, big time. … After I missed that one, it was an awful feeling. I didn’t want to feel that feeling again.
“I knew that I could do it. I knew that I had it in me. I just had to focus and not think too much about what I was going to do.”
Dunn and Abbott each finished with three shots on goal for the Patriots.
Zach Fullenkamp and Ravi Patel, who dropped back to sweeper after the team started with a four-back set, keyed the defense. And goalie Kyle Dirksen finished with nine saves.[[In-content Ad]]