Patriot boys defeat Highland (09/29/2008)

ANDERSON - The team that stopped the Patriots Olympic Athletic Conference title hopes a year ago has now been vanquished. They will have a chance to finish the job today.

Jay County High School's boys soccer team defeated the Anderson Highland Scots 4-2 Saturday to move within one victory of the OAC title.

JCHS will have a chance to lock up the conference championship tonight when it visits the Muncie Southside Rebels. The Patriots, who are now 11-0-1, defeated Southside 9-2 last season.

Also, the IHSAA held the drawing for the state tournament this morning and Jay County and South Adams will meet in the opening round of the Blackford sectional.

As has been the pattern recently, the Patriots fell behind in the first half Saturday before dominating the second.

Highland grabbed a 1-0 lead with 19:34 left in the first half, but barely a minute later JCHS senior Isaac Poole evened the score.

The 1-1 tie at halftime didn't last long as Poole assisted on a Patrick Johnson goal less than three minutes into the second half. Brad Horn scored off of a Trey Dunn assist four minutes later, and Horn added another tally from a Joe Rasmussen assist before the 30-minute mark.

The Scots scored their second goal with just seven minutes remaining in the game.

Horn led the Patriots, taking five of their 12 shots on goal. Poole took three shots, and Johnson added two.

Adam Daniels finished with five saves.

In the sectional tournament at Blackford, Jay County and South Adams will play in the first of two semifinal games Thursday, Oct. 9, at 5:30 p.m. The host Bruins will meet Union City in the second game at 7:30 p.m.

The championship game will be Saturday, Oct. 11, at 11 a.m., and the winner will return to Blackford for regional action.

The Patriots defeated South Adams 7-3 on Sept. 13 and topped Blackford 6-3 two days earlier. They were scheduled to play Union City Sept. 9, but the game was canceled.[[In-content Ad]]