Mann’s goal left its mark

Editor’s note: Whether key plays, incredible achievements or milestone events, sports are full of instances that stick out more than others. Sports editor Chris Schanz has seen a ton of them. In this “Memorable Moments” series, he’ll revisit some important moments in area athletics.

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It was the first time the Patriots had been in this position.

They seemed to have a bit more swagger this time around because of it.

A season after winning the program’s first sectional championship, the Jay County High School girls soccer team traveled to Yorktown Sports Park defending a title.

Despite that, coach Giles Laux drilled it into his team’s head that they were the underdogs.

The David to Yorktown’s Goliath.

Part of the reason for that feeling was the fact the Yorktown Tigers had won 3-1 during the regular season.

But they were set to meet again. And as any high school athlete and coach can attest to, the postseason brings out a little more in everyone.

Jay County, in its “home” white uniforms despite playing on the home field of the opponent, staved off any chance the Tigers had at scoring during the first half.

And there were plenty of them, too. The Tigers got three chances in the first five minutes and two more 10 minutes later, but sophomore goalkeeper Lilly Rogers, the savior two nights earlier in a semifinal win over Delta in PKs, kept Yorktown at bay.

As the game rolled into the second half, the field seemed to turn in favor of the Patriots, who had defeated Yorktown 1-0 on a Gabbie Mann goal a year earlier.

Forwards Catherine Dunn, a senior, sophomore Stormi Canterbury and Mann, a junior, all had opportunities of their own as the second half wore on. Just as Rogers did during the first half, Yorktown keeper Michelle Bess didn’t allow the ball to cross the goal line.

Tensions rose with each passing minute. Crowds for each team — which had shown out in droves — moaned or cheered with each missed chance, depending on which side of it they were on.

The game appeared heading for extra time as the 79th minute had passed and a Yorktown defensive player was taking the ball upfield from deep in its zone.

But Mann, who was trailing the play, stole the ball at the top of the 18-yard box, dribbled toward her left and rifled a left-footed strike into the net.

Bess had no chance.

“I told Gabbie we just have to keep knocking, and if they don’t answer, we knock the door down,” Giles Laux said. “It was a big turnover. That’s usually the difference in big sports games, and it was tonight.

“I still feel we were the David, they were the Goliath, even though we were defending champions. We just weren’t going to quit.”

Mann’s tally with 46 seconds remaining — her school record 30th of the season and final one of the year — broke a scoreless tie. Canterbury threw her hands up and ran toward Mann, who was sprinting in jubilation toward midfield. There, they met Sophie Bader and Emma Laux.

The rest of the team joined in a few seconds later.

The celebration was on.

Mann’s goal was the decisive one as Jay County went on to win 1-0 to claim back-to-back sectional championships.

The atmosphere after Mann’s goal and the sights of the Patriots hoisting the trophy in consecutive seasons will be hard to forget.

It left its mark.