Jay tops Spartans (08/27/03)

The defense of the Olympic Athletic Conference title has begun. And, it started in dramatic fashion.

The Jay County girls soccer team, which won its first OAC title last season, opened the 2003 conference campaign with a 2-1 shoot-out victory over the Connersville Spartans Tuesday.

The game came down to the shoot-out after two overtime periods left the score tied at 1-1 on the Patriots’ home field.

The shoot-out didn’t go especially well for either team, as Connersville sent a pair of shots flying over the top to start and then Beth Siegrist saved the next pair. Jay County’s Sarah Dirksen’s shot was saved, Sarah Miller’s went over the top, and Abby Schmiesing’s hit the cross bar and bounded away.

But, the No. 2 shooter for the Patriots came through. Renae Laux grounded a kick into the corner, which gave her team a 1-0 shoot-out lead which stood until Jamie Bruggeman came up as the final shooter.

Bruggeman ended the Spartans’ night as she flipped her shot over the goalie’s outstretched arms for the 2-1 Jay County victory.

The Patriots’ lone regulation goal came from Schmiesing midway through the second half. It was the first score of her varsity career.

Connersville tied the game about six minutes later when Elizabeth Yeager scored on an assist from Amanda Clark.

The Spartans finished with a total of 14 shots on goal, 11 in the second half. Jay County took nine shots, including five from Jamie Bruggeman and three by Lindsay Friddle.

Jay County coach Sue Rager praised Siegrist for her effort in the shoot-out, and Krista Ross’s defense in the regulation and overtime.

The squad will compete in the Muncie Central Invitational Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

Jay cross country places 2nd, 5th

The Jay County girls cross country team took two of the top four finishing positions at the Bellmont Invitational Tuesday, but couldn’t quite overcome an outstanding effort by the Fort Wayne Northside squad.

Northside won the event with a score of 38, with Jay County trailing 10 points behind. The host Braves were third with 62 points.

Jay County’s boys were fifth with a score of 144. Northside tied for first place in that competition with South Adams with a score of 34.

Sophomore Alyssa Johnson had the top finish for the Patriots, holding off Northside’s Amber Wray for second place with a time of 16:02. Nicole VanSkyock placed fourth in 16:45.

A trio of Northside runners finished sixth, seventh and eighth, with Jay County’s Allison Fullenkamp next in 17:24. Jessica Mosier placed 15th with a time of 18:07, and Jill Roughia rounded out the team scoring in 18th with a time of 18:23.

Vanessa Wilkins finished in 19:04, Lindsey Vesperry had a 19:19, and Whitney Schemenaur came in with a 21:01.

The Patriot boys did not have a finisher in the top 15.

South Adams took the top three finishing positions, with Heath Lehman leading the way with a time of 17 minutes.

Jay County will run again Wednesday, Sept. 3 at home against Monroe Central and Union City at 4:30 p.m.

Patriot boys soccer falls at NC

A first-half goal by Dave Johnston wasn’t enough as the Jay County boys soccer team suffered a 4-1 loss to the New Castle Trojans Tuesday.

The Patriots (1-1) got on the board first 15 minutes into the first half. They scored when Johnston slammed a shot into the net after a nice crossing pass from Kyle Carpenter.

But, most of the game was played on New Castle’s offensive half of the field. The Trojans knocked in a pair of shots before halftime to take the lead while Trent Bailey accounted for nine saves.

Bailey took to the field in the second half as Drew Lloyd stepped in to replace him. Lloyd made six saves, only to have New Castle bang in a couple of late goals for the final margin.

Jay County will try to get back in the win column when it visits Delta Thursday at 4:30 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]