Jay Co. sweeps Bulldogs (09/20/04)

PORTLAND — For Jay County’s girls soccer team, it was a matter of finally getting the ball past a goalie. For the boys, it was their own two goalies which made a huge impact.

The Patriots took both halves of a double-header against Centerville Saturday, the girls getting a big second half for a 4-0 win while the boys topped the Bulldogs 2-1.

“We had two teams out there,” said Sue Rager. “The first half was a defensive team, the second half was more of an attacking team.”

The boys team also scored both of its goals after halftime.

“They started to listen and it’s sinking in,” said Bailey, whose team has had its ups and downs. “We pushed the whole second half. We basically owned the second half.”

The Patriot girls (4-4-1) needed all the attacking they could get, having been held scoreless for two-and-a-half games as Saturday’s contest was scoreless at the intermission.

But, after Jamie Bruggeman scored 12 minutes into the second half, she and her teammates never stopped.

Bruggeman dribbled in from the right side and fired a shot from a few steps inside the 18-yard box. Goalie Courtney Barnett got a hand on the ball, but it still got past her to the back left corner of the goal for a 1-0 Patriot lead at the 28:12 mark.

Just four minutes later Bruggeman got control of the ball again just outside the 18-yard box in the middle of the field. This time she dumped the ball to the right to Sara Garringer, who took a few dribbles before blasting a shot past Barnett just inside the right post.

Renae Laux added a third goal after Sara Garringer put a touch on a free kick at the 11:17 mark.

Krista Ross tried the same move less than two minutes later after Jessica Heitkamp tapped a free kick. Ross’ shot failed, but in the ensuing mob in front of the goal Garringer knocked the ball in for her second score.

“We changed (Jamie Bruggeman’s) position and she became more aggressive on the front line in that second half,” said Rager, who moved Bruggeman from a wing to the striker spot. “She was wanting to score, and I think Sara was equally wanting to get in there and get in their faces and score.”

“We had some really nice passing. I was really pleased with the passing in the second half. There was a lot of one-touch passing, which we’ve been working on in practice.”

The boys game changed in a big way thanks to a tremendous save by goalie Derek Mills.

Jareth Pamer had a penalty kick at the 24:36 mark after being taken down in the box. A score would have put Centerville up 2-1, but Derek Mills went airborne to his left to make a tremendous diving save.

The Bulldogs (4-2-1) got a second shot as Ryan Preston sent the ball back into the box, but Alex Rauch’s header went over the top.

Mills said he was nervous as he faced just the second penalty kick of his career, but he looked quite composed. He said the shooter hardly ever shoots where he looks, so when Pamer looked to the left corner he made his move and came up with the save.

“Derek Mills’ PK save was unbelievable,” said Bailey. “That just totally changed everything — the whole flow. We were up. We were going.”

The momentum change was evident, as the Patriots took the lead just two minutes later.

Jay County’s other goalie, Trent Bailey, who has now moved to striker, got a header past goalie Chase Thomas on a beautiful assist from the left side by Sergio Woo.

Bailey also had the first Patriot goal as he smashed the game-tying shot past Thomas just 1:10 into the second half.

Alan Bailey, whose team will play the first of four straight games on the road Saturday versus Anderson Highland at Anderson University at 1 p.m., said his defense also played a huge role.

“The defenders had been working all week on understanding what they needed to do,” he said. “They did it today. They decided to step up and challenge and quit playing soft and start attacking the ball defensively.”

Rager’s team ran off four games in a row beginning at this point last season. She said the offensive outburst was an important confidence builder for the coming week, which starts at home Wednesday against Muncie Burris at 5 p.m.

“I think this is a big one,” said Rager. “We have four more at home and I think it was a big one as far as getting the girls to score. If we’re not scoring (this) week, we’re not going to be winning (this) week.”[[In-content Ad]]