Jay falls in OT

HARTFORD CITY - Sometimes in a close game an awkward bounce can be the difference. In Wednesday's regional semifinal, the ball bounced Muncie Central's way.

The Bearcats ended the Jay County High School boys soccer team's six-game winning streak and its season as they scored less than two minutes into overtime and held on for a 1-0 victory at Blackford.

"It was a great game, well-play ... well-fought between both teams," siad Central coach Shea Hill. "We played good soccer. Jay County played good soccer today too.

"It was a lot of fight from both teams."

The teams battled for 80 scoreless minutes to force the two seven-minute halves of overtime.

The Bearcats (14-3) broke through less than two minutes after the overtime kickoff when Jon Galvin took a pass just behind the Jay County defense. Patriot goalie Adam Daniels came out to try to take the ball away from Galvin, but as the two collided the ball ricocheted away.

It bounced up and hit Brandon Poore, who was running in from the right to help Daniels, in the chest and spun into the goal with 5:06 on the clock.

"The roll of that ball just killed us," said JCHS coach Alan Bailey, whose team finished at 14-5. "When it came out the ball was just really spinning. It had a super spin on it, and it just came right back to (Poore) and went to his chest ... and spun right into the net. There was nothing he could do about it."

Jay County, which lost 4-0 to Central to open the season, had a chance to score an equalizer with two minutes to go in the first overtime half when Poore sent the ball up to Aldo Castro just past midfield. Castro hit a beautiful pass to Patrick Johnson running up the left side, and the senior worked the ball just inside the 18-yard box.

However, his shot went just over the crossbar and the Bearcats were able to hold on for the victory.

The odd bounce was the only way Muncie Central, which will play Yorktown in Saturday's regional championship game, could get the ball past Daniels. The senior racked up 14 saves as he turned the Bearcats away time and time again.

"Their keeper played an outstanding game," said Muncie Central coach Shea Hill. "I'm not taking anything away from the rest of their team, but ... that guy played out of his mind here today."

The big night from Daniels was highlighted when Ben Brandt was called for a penalty inside the 18-yard box. The play resulted in a penalty kick for Neil Chalupa, who scored on a penalty kick Saturday in Central's 2-1 sectional championship win over Muncie Burris, with 9:28 on the clock in the opening half.

Chalupa sent his shot toward the left side of the goal, but Adam Daniels dove toward the left post and knocked the shot away with both hands.

"Basically, take a good guess and go," said Daniels of what he was thinking as Chalupa lined up the kick. "You've just got to go for it, no regrets, just lay it out there.

"I had no idea it was going to go that way. When it did ... I was pretty happy about it."

Daniels said playing in the regional, under the lights, had him pumped up, and it continued to show in his play throughout the rest of the game.

Five minutes into the second half Chalupa broke through the middle of the Jay County defense, only to have his shot knocked away by a diving Daniels. Midway through the second half a Bearcat shot went off the left post, and Daniels deflected away the point-blank follow up.

A third great save came with 10 minutes to go in regulation as first Daniels rejected a shot and then Dillon Ainsworth came flying in from the right side to send the loose ball flying out of bounds.

"Unbelieveable," said Bailey of Daniels' effort. "And our defense swept in and got some balls out of there when they were really pressuring us."

Jay County finished with 14 shots on goal, including seven by state scoring leader Brad Horn (44 goals). Johnson added four shots, and Jeremiah Cotherman had two.

After a conversation with his whole team following the game, Bailey brought his seniors together for some final words of praise. The group - Horn, Johnson, Cotherman, Daniels, Brandt and Carlos Esquivel - was part of 32 wins, two Olympic Athletic Conference titles, two sectional championships and one regional crown over the course of the last two seasons.

"Those kids were what made this team this year," said Bailey. "They just really stepped their game up. ... Without them, this season would have never happened and we wouldn't have gotten where we are now."[[In-content Ad]]