July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Patriots meeting challenge head on (10/10/06)
JCHS boys soccer
By By RAY COONEY-
Jay County will enter its first ever regional game as the underdog.
Its 9-6-1 record stands in contrast to the Anderson Indians' 12-3 mark
Its 3-2 loss to Anderson Highland falls against the backdrop of Anderson's pair of one-goal wins over the cross-town rival Scots, including a 2-1 triumph in the sectional semifinal round Thursday.
Its longest winning streak - four games early in the season - is less than half the 10-game run the Indians used to open the year.
No matter though, recent history has taught the Patriots the numbers don't mean much.
"Once you get to this point, the teams are equal," said JCHS coach Alan Bailey during practice Monday, referencing the 2005-06 Patriot boys basketball team. "All last year you heard that we were always the underdog each step of the way. And then the kids kept in their mindset that they were capable.
"My big idea right now is keeping focused. To me right now every team is equal. Everybody has earned the position where they're at.
"Everything from here on out is what it's all about."
Scott "Scooter" Bruggeman was the starting point guard for that boys basketball team which, despite the decided lack of a star player, went all the way to the Class 3A state championship game. The team leader in points with 35, he is also the only member of this year's boys soccer team who has seen significant playing time beyond the sectional level in any sport.
He advises his teammates: "Just act like it's just another game. Don't think it's anything special. Just go out there and focus on how you play and do what you've got to do."
In addition to the 2005-06 Patriot cagers, Bailey also looks toward another team in the Blackford regional for inspiration. Delta (4-12), which won just two matches in the regular season, earned a sectional crown of its own Saturday and will play New Haven (13-5) in the first of the two regional games Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
The tilt between Jay County and Anderson will follow at 7:30 p.m. with the winners advancing to the championship Saturday at 11 a.m.
"If you come out and play hard, anything can happen," said Bailey of Delta's tournament turnaround.
If the Patriots are to earn a third tournament win and a chance at a regional crown, it will be on the shoulders of seniors Bruggeman (15 goals, five assists), Luke McClung (three goals, 13 assists) and Mason Shreve (16 goals). The trio accounted for all of Jay County's eight goals in sectional play
Bruggeman had five scores, including a hat trick in the semifinal round against South Adams. Shreve scored twice and played a part in every goal in the 4-2 championship win over Blackford. McClung posted the final tally to put the dagger in South Adams - the Patriots lost 2-1 to the Starfires during the regular season - and had a pair of assists in the game.
"That's what our set-up is. They've got to take us there," said Bailey of the three seniors. "We basically work everything to them, or hope everything goes through them. My wings have got strict instructions to get the ball up as fast as they can and cross it to the middle so we can get it to our forwards to get those opportunities. We're depending a lot on those three kids."
Junior forward Obadiah Smith III leads the Anderson squad. He has scored two or more goals on four different occasions this year - 13 total - including a hat trick in the Indians 4-1 win over Richmond.
Fellow junior Matt Drinkut is the No. 2 scorer on the squad with seven goals on the year, including two of Anderson's four tallies in the sectional tournament.
"From scouting reports I've gotten so far, they're very fast," said Bailey of the Indians. "They've got one real fast forward (Smith). The Anderson Highland coach told me he's the fastest thing he's seen on the field this year."
Both teams sport solid defenses.
The Indians have allowed just 17 goals, an average of 1.13 per game, with four of those coming in a 4-0 loss to Kokomo. They have posted five shutouts.
Jay County has given up 26 goals on the year (1.63 per game), but not more than three in a single contest.
Patriot goalie Derek Mills said the biggest improvement from the defense in front of him from the season-opening 2-0 loss to Muncie Central to today is the way the players work together and "know where each other are going to be."
Bruggeman sees Wednesday's game much the same as the contests he and his teammates faced during the basketball tournament just seven months ago.
"They're a very talented team, but we're a better team," Scooter said. "They just have good individual talent. If we shut them down, we've got a good chance."[[In-content Ad]]
Its 9-6-1 record stands in contrast to the Anderson Indians' 12-3 mark
Its 3-2 loss to Anderson Highland falls against the backdrop of Anderson's pair of one-goal wins over the cross-town rival Scots, including a 2-1 triumph in the sectional semifinal round Thursday.
Its longest winning streak - four games early in the season - is less than half the 10-game run the Indians used to open the year.
No matter though, recent history has taught the Patriots the numbers don't mean much.
"Once you get to this point, the teams are equal," said JCHS coach Alan Bailey during practice Monday, referencing the 2005-06 Patriot boys basketball team. "All last year you heard that we were always the underdog each step of the way. And then the kids kept in their mindset that they were capable.
"My big idea right now is keeping focused. To me right now every team is equal. Everybody has earned the position where they're at.
"Everything from here on out is what it's all about."
Scott "Scooter" Bruggeman was the starting point guard for that boys basketball team which, despite the decided lack of a star player, went all the way to the Class 3A state championship game. The team leader in points with 35, he is also the only member of this year's boys soccer team who has seen significant playing time beyond the sectional level in any sport.
He advises his teammates: "Just act like it's just another game. Don't think it's anything special. Just go out there and focus on how you play and do what you've got to do."
In addition to the 2005-06 Patriot cagers, Bailey also looks toward another team in the Blackford regional for inspiration. Delta (4-12), which won just two matches in the regular season, earned a sectional crown of its own Saturday and will play New Haven (13-5) in the first of the two regional games Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
The tilt between Jay County and Anderson will follow at 7:30 p.m. with the winners advancing to the championship Saturday at 11 a.m.
"If you come out and play hard, anything can happen," said Bailey of Delta's tournament turnaround.
If the Patriots are to earn a third tournament win and a chance at a regional crown, it will be on the shoulders of seniors Bruggeman (15 goals, five assists), Luke McClung (three goals, 13 assists) and Mason Shreve (16 goals). The trio accounted for all of Jay County's eight goals in sectional play
Bruggeman had five scores, including a hat trick in the semifinal round against South Adams. Shreve scored twice and played a part in every goal in the 4-2 championship win over Blackford. McClung posted the final tally to put the dagger in South Adams - the Patriots lost 2-1 to the Starfires during the regular season - and had a pair of assists in the game.
"That's what our set-up is. They've got to take us there," said Bailey of the three seniors. "We basically work everything to them, or hope everything goes through them. My wings have got strict instructions to get the ball up as fast as they can and cross it to the middle so we can get it to our forwards to get those opportunities. We're depending a lot on those three kids."
Junior forward Obadiah Smith III leads the Anderson squad. He has scored two or more goals on four different occasions this year - 13 total - including a hat trick in the Indians 4-1 win over Richmond.
Fellow junior Matt Drinkut is the No. 2 scorer on the squad with seven goals on the year, including two of Anderson's four tallies in the sectional tournament.
"From scouting reports I've gotten so far, they're very fast," said Bailey of the Indians. "They've got one real fast forward (Smith). The Anderson Highland coach told me he's the fastest thing he's seen on the field this year."
Both teams sport solid defenses.
The Indians have allowed just 17 goals, an average of 1.13 per game, with four of those coming in a 4-0 loss to Kokomo. They have posted five shutouts.
Jay County has given up 26 goals on the year (1.63 per game), but not more than three in a single contest.
Patriot goalie Derek Mills said the biggest improvement from the defense in front of him from the season-opening 2-0 loss to Muncie Central to today is the way the players work together and "know where each other are going to be."
Bruggeman sees Wednesday's game much the same as the contests he and his teammates faced during the basketball tournament just seven months ago.
"They're a very talented team, but we're a better team," Scooter said. "They just have good individual talent. If we shut them down, we've got a good chance."[[In-content Ad]]
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