July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
On to the finals (10/06/06)
JCHS boys soccer
On to the finals (10/06/06)
By By RAY COONEY-
HARTFORD CITY - For the Jay County boys soccer team, the talk of the tournament as a second season is more than just idle sports cliché.
The Patriots, a squad anchored by 10 seniors, fell well short of the season they hoped for, finishing just a game over .500.
The tournament provides them a second opportunity to reach their potential, and they started that quest Thursday.
Jay County defeated the South Adams Starfires 4-1, avenging a regular-season loss and earning a berth in Saturday's championship game.
Patriot senior Scott "Scooter" Bruggeman, who led the way with a hat trick, said the team wanted to make up for "not just the South Adams game, but the whole season.
"We didn't have the kind of season we wanted to and we didn't end the season the way we wanted to," Bruggeman added. "We didn't want to end the tournament that way."
Jay County, which tied its season finale against Lakeview Christian Monday to finish at 7-6-1, will play for its first ever sectional title in boys soccer Saturday. It will take on the host Bruins, who defeated Union City 4-1 in Thursday's first semifinal game, Saturday at 11 a.m.
Both Jay County and South Adams saw this season as their opportunity to break through for a sectional crown thanks to the introduction of the new four-team alignment. But after beating the Patriots 2-1 during the regular season and taking a 1-0 lead Thursday, the Starfires could not sustain the effort.
Jay County had a 2-1 lead by halftime and scored twice in a span of 1:12 midway through the second half to put the game away.
"I think if anything we just didn't move the ball well enough," said SAHS coach John Abnet, whose team finished the year at 7-8. "We came out so aggressive individually and played so inspired individually that we forgot to move the ball."
After their team fell behind 1-0 when an Adam McLaughlin shot squirted through the arms of the diving Derek Mills, Bruggeman and fellow senior Luke McClung took over.
The Patriots evened the score less than six minutes after South Adams took the lead, thanks to a long direct kick from McClung. The senior took the ball from near midfield on the right side and sent it straight at the goalie. Keeper Tyler Sprunger responded by knocking the ball away, but not far enough.
Even with his back toward the goal Bruggeman was able to get the job done, kicking the ball backward over his head. A South Adams defender was able to get his head on the ball, but it was not enough to keep it from landing in the back of the net for a tie game.
With just six minutes remaining in the half McClung got another chance as he took a corner kick from the left side. He sent the ball to the far side of the goal where Bruggeman was able to head it just inside the right post for a 2-1 Jay County lead.
"I'll have to total up how many free kick goals and corner kick goals these two have had," said JCHS coach Alan Bailey, pointing to his pair of senior leaders. "This combination here has won a lot of games for us.
"Our touch on the ball was 100 percent better tonight (than in the first game against South Adams). Our kids kept the ball on their feet and kept control of the ball."
The senior duo wasn't done, as a McClung throw in led to a Bruggeman header near the goal just past the midpoint of the second half. Sprunger was able to knock the header away, but Bruggeman followed his own shot to complete the hat trick.
With the two-goal lead, Bailey took a suggestion from McClung and moved Bruggeman back to play the equivalent of football's safety position while McClung pushed up to the front line. Just a minute after Bruggeman's third goal he took the ball away from McLaughlin and Taylor Sprunger of the Starfires and sent a long pass up to McClung on the right side. McClung wasted little time, unleashing a laser shot from at least 30 yards out to the left corner.
"Scott scored the last one so I figured he might be tired," said McClung of formation change. "I was tired of playing defense so I asked coach to switch us up. It worked out nice."
The final connection between the two seniors gave the Patriots a 4-1 advantage with 17:22 to play, and the defense held strong the rest of the way. JCHS goalie Derek Mills totaled four saves before giving way to Kevin Dirksen and Derek Bartlett for the final 8:42.
Bruggeman said his team will need the same type of effort against Blackford, a team the Patriots defeated 7-2 during the regular season.
"We definitely can't look past them," said Bruggeman. "They're a team that's capable of beating us and we just have to come out and play our game."
"They're going to be after us the way we were after South Adams tonight," added Bailey. "We have to play the same way Saturday as we did tonight."[[In-content Ad]]
The Patriots, a squad anchored by 10 seniors, fell well short of the season they hoped for, finishing just a game over .500.
The tournament provides them a second opportunity to reach their potential, and they started that quest Thursday.
Jay County defeated the South Adams Starfires 4-1, avenging a regular-season loss and earning a berth in Saturday's championship game.
Patriot senior Scott "Scooter" Bruggeman, who led the way with a hat trick, said the team wanted to make up for "not just the South Adams game, but the whole season.
"We didn't have the kind of season we wanted to and we didn't end the season the way we wanted to," Bruggeman added. "We didn't want to end the tournament that way."
Jay County, which tied its season finale against Lakeview Christian Monday to finish at 7-6-1, will play for its first ever sectional title in boys soccer Saturday. It will take on the host Bruins, who defeated Union City 4-1 in Thursday's first semifinal game, Saturday at 11 a.m.
Both Jay County and South Adams saw this season as their opportunity to break through for a sectional crown thanks to the introduction of the new four-team alignment. But after beating the Patriots 2-1 during the regular season and taking a 1-0 lead Thursday, the Starfires could not sustain the effort.
Jay County had a 2-1 lead by halftime and scored twice in a span of 1:12 midway through the second half to put the game away.
"I think if anything we just didn't move the ball well enough," said SAHS coach John Abnet, whose team finished the year at 7-8. "We came out so aggressive individually and played so inspired individually that we forgot to move the ball."
After their team fell behind 1-0 when an Adam McLaughlin shot squirted through the arms of the diving Derek Mills, Bruggeman and fellow senior Luke McClung took over.
The Patriots evened the score less than six minutes after South Adams took the lead, thanks to a long direct kick from McClung. The senior took the ball from near midfield on the right side and sent it straight at the goalie. Keeper Tyler Sprunger responded by knocking the ball away, but not far enough.
Even with his back toward the goal Bruggeman was able to get the job done, kicking the ball backward over his head. A South Adams defender was able to get his head on the ball, but it was not enough to keep it from landing in the back of the net for a tie game.
With just six minutes remaining in the half McClung got another chance as he took a corner kick from the left side. He sent the ball to the far side of the goal where Bruggeman was able to head it just inside the right post for a 2-1 Jay County lead.
"I'll have to total up how many free kick goals and corner kick goals these two have had," said JCHS coach Alan Bailey, pointing to his pair of senior leaders. "This combination here has won a lot of games for us.
"Our touch on the ball was 100 percent better tonight (than in the first game against South Adams). Our kids kept the ball on their feet and kept control of the ball."
The senior duo wasn't done, as a McClung throw in led to a Bruggeman header near the goal just past the midpoint of the second half. Sprunger was able to knock the header away, but Bruggeman followed his own shot to complete the hat trick.
With the two-goal lead, Bailey took a suggestion from McClung and moved Bruggeman back to play the equivalent of football's safety position while McClung pushed up to the front line. Just a minute after Bruggeman's third goal he took the ball away from McLaughlin and Taylor Sprunger of the Starfires and sent a long pass up to McClung on the right side. McClung wasted little time, unleashing a laser shot from at least 30 yards out to the left corner.
"Scott scored the last one so I figured he might be tired," said McClung of formation change. "I was tired of playing defense so I asked coach to switch us up. It worked out nice."
The final connection between the two seniors gave the Patriots a 4-1 advantage with 17:22 to play, and the defense held strong the rest of the way. JCHS goalie Derek Mills totaled four saves before giving way to Kevin Dirksen and Derek Bartlett for the final 8:42.
Bruggeman said his team will need the same type of effort against Blackford, a team the Patriots defeated 7-2 during the regular season.
"We definitely can't look past them," said Bruggeman. "They're a team that's capable of beating us and we just have to come out and play our game."
"They're going to be after us the way we were after South Adams tonight," added Bailey. "We have to play the same way Saturday as we did tonight."[[In-content Ad]]
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