Starfires sock it to Jay County (09/11/06)

BERNE - Advantage, Starfires.

In the new boys soccer sectional format, both Jay County and South Adams considered themselves favorites. The Starfires took control of that designation Saturday.

South Adams scored within the opening two minutes and held off the Patriots 2-1 in the second game of a double-header.

"In all honesty this is a game that the guys really hated to lose last year because we dominated and gave up the match 1-0. We just couldn't finish. Today we were able to get the ball in the net," said South Adams boys coach John Abnet. "This was a good, even match. There probably aren't two schools this year that I've seen play that were as evenly matched as these two.

"It was very physical. There was a lot of ball movement. The game is always faster when the ball is moving instead of the player."

The host Starfires also won the girls game over Jay County, but in more convincing fashion by a 6-1 score. The Patriots' goal did not come until there were just 2.6 seconds remaining in the contest.

"We played a better team today," said JCHS girls coach Sue Rager. "They definitely were the better team ... but I think our girls are capable of playing better than they played today."

The South Adams boys (4-4) likely won the game in the first two minutes thanks to senior Cory Simon. He shot from the left side past Patriot goalie Derek Mills and into the right corner for a 1-0 Starfire lead just 1:08 into the contest.

Both teams had several more opportunities in the opening half, including a shot by Jay County's Chase Ainsworth which ricocheted off the left post, but the score remained the same for more than 65 minutes.

It was the Starfires who broke the long scoring drought on another play started by Simon, who finished with a team-high four shots on goal. His header was saved by another header from Patriot defender Trey Dunn, but Jay County failed to clear the ball. Adam McLaughlin took advantage, tracking it down in the middle of the field and blasting it past Mills for a two-goal lead.

Abnet said he and his team call McLaughlin, and junior, the hardest working man in soccer.

"I'd like to put a pedometer on him to see how many miles he ran today," Abnet added.

"He covers both ends of the field, he helps us defensively, he puts balls in the net."

Jay County responded almost immediately to South Adams' second score. A header by Scott "Scooter" Bruggeman was knocked away by Starfire goalie Tyler Sprunger. However, Bruggeman got to the ball again on the right side and sent a pass back across the front of the goal where Justin Upp was ready to tap it in with 9:30 remaining.

The Patriots had a few more chances in the closing minutes as they finished with 18 shots (five on goal) to the Starfires' 14 (seven on goal).

South Adams and Jay County (4-2) will likely meet again, whether in the semifinals or finals, in a match which will decide the Blackford sectional title next month.

The Patriots defeated other sectional foes Union City and Blackford 13-3 earlier this season.

"For us to come out on top we basically don't need anything different than what you saw today," said JCHS boys coach Alan Bailey. "The goal in the first few minutes of the game caught us on our heels. We've just got to keep playing our game.

"One goal is big. It's huge. That gives them all the adrenaline, all the pump."

The Starfire girls team (4-2-1) didn't score as quickly as their male counterparts, but they score often.

South Adams had a couple of outstanding goals, including their first. Sophomore Madison Moore took a corner kick from the right side and didn't bother making it a pass, instead hooking the ball past everyone, including JCHS goalie Abby Loy, and into the net.

The Starfires pushed the lead to 2-0 just three minutes later, and Moore added a goal from 30 yards out with just under three minutes remaining in the opening half.

"She has that every day," said Starfire girls coach Jose Brito of Moore. "She has that ability of taking the shots from the outside. She hasn't lost anything from last year ... that's one of the reasons she's the captain of the team."

Kinsey Lengerich, who assisted on the second goal, scored off an assist from Ashton Morgan seven minutes into the second half, and Jodie Muhlenkamp converted a penalty kick at the 22:25 mark. Morgan scored with 4:04 remaining before Jay County finally got on the board just before the buzzer.

"Right now I talk about her a lot," said Brito of Lengerich, who often dominated the ball during the contest. "If college coaches would be watching her right now, they would want her. Last year she played for me up top and this year I decided to move her to the back and she's tremendous back there. She has a great head. She knows exactly when to come and attack the ball."

The Patriots (2-2-1) pushed up the field several times in the final minute with the final effort coming on a nice chip upfield by Kaelee Keller. Brianne Wellman was able to beat the Starfire defenders to the ball and put it past Jaci Liechty for the final margin.

Rager said she felt her team, which had not played since a 4-0 loss to Norwell Aug. 30, looked rusty. South Adams out-shot the Patriots 21-8 for the game.

"I think we're just playing better-skilled teams right now," she added. "There are things that we need to work on."[[In-content Ad]]