October 13, 2020 at 4:41 p.m.
Title defeat stings
Jay County High School soccer
Title defeat stings
MARION — Patriot coach Brad Horn has had his team at the top of its game during the sectional tournament since he took over in 2016.
Each year, however, it wasn’t quite enough, as the Patriots weren’t able to bring home a trophy.
The pain still stings, after the Jay County High School boys soccer team gave up a late goal in a 1-0 loss to the Yorktown Tigers in the Class 2A Sectional 24 championship game Saturday night at Eastbrook’s Jeff Adamson Stadium.
“I’m tired of playing our best soccer and not coming away with a sectional title,” said Horn, whose team ends the year 7-9. “Hats off to Yorktown. Great game … they were a phenomenal team.
“I don’t think they were expecting that out of us. We played an incredible game as well. It could have gone either way. The opportunities we had that we didn’t capitalize, they had other opportunities and didn’t capitalize. It came down to a hard-fought game.”
Yorktown (14-2-1), which finished 13th in the final Class 2A poll of the season and claimed its first title since 2015 and 10th overall, ended a back-and-forth scoreless affair just inside the 76th minute. The Tigers had the ball deep in the attacking third of the field, but could not get off a clear shot on goal. One attempt got deflected toward the left side of the goal. Clay Kruger chased it down and fired a close-range shot at JCHS goalkeeper Ian Ruiz.
Ruiz, a junior, was able to get a hand on it but not enough to knock it away. The ball deflected into the left side of the net to end the tie.
“Ian did a heck of a job in goal all season long,” Horn said. Ruiz finished with five saves, but it’s the one he didn’t make that haunted him when the score turned final. “I know he’s going to be biting himself for that goal but it’s not his fault. He is such a good competitor, it really has me looking forward to next season.”
Jay County, which was not short of having its own opportunities to break the tie before Kruger’s goal, was playing the game with heavy hearts as it was mourning the death of Jake Muhlenkamp, a cousin, friend and classmate to many who was killed in an off-road vehicle accident late Friday night.
One reserve player, Carter Link, did not join the team for the game. Junior Jayden Maymi warmed up in a shirt that read “Fly High Jake.”
The Patriots’ pregame routine was more subdued than usual. But they still seemed focused given the loss of their friend and relative.
“That was tough,” Horn said. “That bus ride here, not a single word was said. They really went out there. They truly — someone in the community, something like that happens — very, very tough. I’m extremely proud of them to play.”
Past the midway point of the first half, Cristian Marentes had a shot get deflected, and Gio Perod’s secondary attempt missed the frame.
The Patriots had two corner kick attempts, one each in the 31st and 35th minutes, but both went unfinished.
In the 47th minute, Marentes sent in a cross pass to Perod, who put a solid strike on it with his head but Yorktown goalkeeper Hudson Bouw made the save. Two minutes later, Marentes sent a left-footed shot from the left side that sailed 2 yards wide of the frame.
And in the 6th minute, Perod fired a high shot at the goal, but Bouw’s 6-foot, 3-inch body was able to make the save look easy before the ball could be tucked under the crossbar.
“It wasn’t that we were going to sit back,” Horn said. “We were going to press. We had opportunities and we were going to take them.”
Bouw, who made four saves, recorded his 10th shutout of the season for the Tigers, who topped Jay County 3-0 during their regular-season meeting Aug. 29.
Saturday’s loss marked the end of the Patriot career for starters Hunter Shumaker (midfielder), Brody Auker (defender) and Gio Perod (forward) as well as reserve player Houston Yowell (defender). Perod finished the year with eight goals and three assists, both second to Marentes. Shumaker had three goals, most notably the game-winner in the sectional final against Burris on Wednesday.
“Hats off to the seniors,” Horn said. “I love those guys. I’m going to miss them. They always give it their all for me.”
Each year, however, it wasn’t quite enough, as the Patriots weren’t able to bring home a trophy.
The pain still stings, after the Jay County High School boys soccer team gave up a late goal in a 1-0 loss to the Yorktown Tigers in the Class 2A Sectional 24 championship game Saturday night at Eastbrook’s Jeff Adamson Stadium.
“I’m tired of playing our best soccer and not coming away with a sectional title,” said Horn, whose team ends the year 7-9. “Hats off to Yorktown. Great game … they were a phenomenal team.
“I don’t think they were expecting that out of us. We played an incredible game as well. It could have gone either way. The opportunities we had that we didn’t capitalize, they had other opportunities and didn’t capitalize. It came down to a hard-fought game.”
Yorktown (14-2-1), which finished 13th in the final Class 2A poll of the season and claimed its first title since 2015 and 10th overall, ended a back-and-forth scoreless affair just inside the 76th minute. The Tigers had the ball deep in the attacking third of the field, but could not get off a clear shot on goal. One attempt got deflected toward the left side of the goal. Clay Kruger chased it down and fired a close-range shot at JCHS goalkeeper Ian Ruiz.
Ruiz, a junior, was able to get a hand on it but not enough to knock it away. The ball deflected into the left side of the net to end the tie.
“Ian did a heck of a job in goal all season long,” Horn said. Ruiz finished with five saves, but it’s the one he didn’t make that haunted him when the score turned final. “I know he’s going to be biting himself for that goal but it’s not his fault. He is such a good competitor, it really has me looking forward to next season.”
Jay County, which was not short of having its own opportunities to break the tie before Kruger’s goal, was playing the game with heavy hearts as it was mourning the death of Jake Muhlenkamp, a cousin, friend and classmate to many who was killed in an off-road vehicle accident late Friday night.
One reserve player, Carter Link, did not join the team for the game. Junior Jayden Maymi warmed up in a shirt that read “Fly High Jake.”
The Patriots’ pregame routine was more subdued than usual. But they still seemed focused given the loss of their friend and relative.
“That was tough,” Horn said. “That bus ride here, not a single word was said. They really went out there. They truly — someone in the community, something like that happens — very, very tough. I’m extremely proud of them to play.”
Past the midway point of the first half, Cristian Marentes had a shot get deflected, and Gio Perod’s secondary attempt missed the frame.
The Patriots had two corner kick attempts, one each in the 31st and 35th minutes, but both went unfinished.
In the 47th minute, Marentes sent in a cross pass to Perod, who put a solid strike on it with his head but Yorktown goalkeeper Hudson Bouw made the save. Two minutes later, Marentes sent a left-footed shot from the left side that sailed 2 yards wide of the frame.
And in the 6th minute, Perod fired a high shot at the goal, but Bouw’s 6-foot, 3-inch body was able to make the save look easy before the ball could be tucked under the crossbar.
“It wasn’t that we were going to sit back,” Horn said. “We were going to press. We had opportunities and we were going to take them.”
Bouw, who made four saves, recorded his 10th shutout of the season for the Tigers, who topped Jay County 3-0 during their regular-season meeting Aug. 29.
Saturday’s loss marked the end of the Patriot career for starters Hunter Shumaker (midfielder), Brody Auker (defender) and Gio Perod (forward) as well as reserve player Houston Yowell (defender). Perod finished the year with eight goals and three assists, both second to Marentes. Shumaker had three goals, most notably the game-winner in the sectional final against Burris on Wednesday.
“Hats off to the seniors,” Horn said. “I love those guys. I’m going to miss them. They always give it their all for me.”
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