Patriots play A+ opener

It’s why they play the games, and why making predictions is often an exercise in futility.
A week ago Jay County High School boys soccer coach Alan Bailey had some concerns. They were understandable, given that in addition to losing a group of players to graduation his team was also without several juniors who were expected to play key roles.
He said he was confident his team would be ready to challenge for a sectional title again this year, but it might take some time to get there.
“We’re going to grow at the beginning of the season,” said Bailey in reference to his team’s challenging early schedule that resulted in an 0-1-2 start a year ago. “With Muncie Central off the bat, we always see where we’re at and see what we need to work on quickly. That’s always a good test for us.”
The Patriots earned an A+.
They still may go through some growing pains, but they dominated their season opener for a 7-2 victory. While Muncie Central may not be as strong as it has been in recent years, Jay County’s performance was impressive.
It played most of the game on its offensive end, and scored the first goal of the season after a relentless attack resulted in four consecutive corner kicks. Sophomore Alex Abbott scored twice in the next 20 minutes to put the Patriots in total control at halftime, and added two more after the break as JCHS built a 7-0 lead.
“The kids really stepped on the field and played well,” said Bailey. “We pretty much handled the ball like we needed to, like we’ve been preaching for two solid weeks. And they just played better than my expectations for that first game.”
As fans, players and coaches we generally think we know something about how seasons will play out. But we’re often wrong.
And it’s always nice to get the kind of pleasant surprises like the one the Patriots provided Tuesday.[[In-content Ad]]