Shutout ends streak

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A 5-3 edge in corner kicks. A header that plunked the post. A goal waved off.

It’s not always the team that has the most opportunities that comes out on top. It’s the one that finishes the most.

Jay County High School’s boys soccer team wasn’t able to finish any of its copious amount of strikes toward the net in a 2-0 loss Thursday to the Bellmont Braves.

“It is one of those games I feel like the whole entire time we did outplay them,” JCHS coach Brad Horn said. “Our opportunities compared to them were a lot to a little; they just finished on theirs.

“We still played a great game. Sometimes the ball is just not going to go in and you saw that happen.”

The loss ended a four-game winning streak for the Patriots (6-3) — it was also the first time they’ve been shut out this season — while the Braves (4-5-3) have won back-to-back games and three of their last four. It was also the first win in four tries for Bellmont away from Decatur.

Jay County had five chances in the first 11 minutes of the game but Bellmont goalkeeper Brendan Gilbert turned three of them away and the other two missed frame. On a couple other occasions, the Patriots had the ball deep in the Brave defensive zone but weren’t able to find the back of the net.

Bellmont, on the other hand, struck first in the 33rd minute when Caden Staub headed a bouncing ball in the box past JCHS keeper Ian Ruiz.

Jay County dominated the remainder of the half, including three corner kicks in the final three minutes, but again wasn’t able to finish them.

Less than five minutes into the second half, the Patriots threatened again with a ball in the 8-yard box. After being kicked around for a moment, the ball spun its way toward the goal and Gio Perod beat Gilbert for the potential equalizer.

The official, standing about 25 yards toward midfield, blew the play dead because of a hand ball on Jay County.

Goal negated.

“I don’t really know what to say about that,” Horn said. “That’s a tough situation where I don’t even feel like (the official) is in the right position to make that kind of call. It is what it is. You can’t argue that.”

Bellmont scored the final goal of the night when Miguel Suarez converted a penalty kick in the 47th minute. Leo Bora got fouled inside the penalty area, and Suarez buried the ensuing shot toward Ruiz’s left.

“I felt after that PK and they went up 2-0, our heads kind of went down a little bit,” Horn said. “I take blame for that. That is something I need to get back up.

“I didn’t do a good enough job of getting their heads back up and kind of pump them back into the game. They still worked hard. It’s just you could tell the spirit wasn’t there.”

Despite the loss, the Patriots still sport the best record through nine games since 2009. That team started the year 7-2 but lost its 10th game. Horn is still pleased with the way his team has played thus far.

“I’m used to us being 2-6 at this point not 6-3,” he said. “It’s a good feeling. We’re still playing well together. The games we don’t finish are the games we lose.

“But I mean it is what it is. I am still proud of how they played and how they’re working together.”