Boys hang on for 2-1 win

YORKTOWN — Alan Bailey knew a two-goal advantage wasn’t safe against a team like the Tigers.
The Patriot defense made sure the lead would be secure.
Jay County scored two goals in the first half and held off Yorktown in the final 40 minutes for a 2-1 victory in the championship game of the Class 2A Sectional 15 tournament at Yorktown Sports Park.
It was the first sectional title for the Patriots since 2010, when they finished a run of three straight championships.
Jay County (8-8-1) advances to the regional semifinal at 5 p.m. Thursday against the host Kokomo Wildkats. Kokomo beat Logansport 3-1 to win its second sectional title in program history.
“Even though we were up two (goals), we were the team that was in the hole,” Bailey said. “They just pounded us and pounded us.
“We had our spots where we looked really good, and bang, we go back on our heels. Congrats to these boys for sticking it out and finishing it.”
After cutting the deficit to 2-1 late in the first half when Yorktown scored on a Karter Bibbs header from Luke Bryan’s corner kick, momentum shifted in the favor of the Tigers (4-12).
Forward Elijah Brand and midfielder Conner Mullins helped the Tigers keep the ball away from Jay County in the second half, creating scoring chances for one another and their teammates.
Yorktown wasn’t able to capitalize on its opportunities though.
“I think anybody watching the game would think we were the dominant team in the second half,” YHS coach Zach Rabenstein said. “(We) got shots and controlled the ball, we just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
JCHS sophomore goalkeeper Trevor Moeller’s save total — he stopped four shots on net — was not indicative of how hard he had to work.
Nearly 11 minutes into the second half, Moeller had back-to-back saves on shots by Brand, one of which led to a corner kick the Tigers weren’t able to convert.
Then, five minutes later, Jacob Parsons took a shot from just outside the left of the 18-yard box that sailed over the net and wide right.
The closest the Tigers came to tying the score came in the 74th minute.
Moeller left the goal box to make a play on a bouncing ball near the top of the penalty area but he was not able to get it in his grasp. With a wide-open goal, Austin Kafka made a desperation kick, and the ball bounced in front of the goal and off the crossbar.
“I told him if he ever does anything like that again I’m going to my grave,” Bailey said with a smile.
“He made some tremendous saves,” he added of Moeller, who took over for Zach Chaney in goal midway through the season.
Moeller said he had no doubt in his mind the Patriots would come away with the title.
“We came in pretty confident, we knew we could beat them because we had beat them before in the season,” he said. Jay County defeated Yorktown 4-3 on Sept. 27 in Portland. “We tried to keep our heads up the whole game and go strong. The last couple minutes had me scared, but we pulled through.”
Jay County got on the board just 4:39 into the game, when David Fernandez sent a through pass to Jared Schlosser, who kicked a right-footed shot from about 25-yards out over an outstretched Yorktown keeper Josh Struble.
It was Schlosser’s seventh goal of the season.
“That’s the shot I wanted,” Bailey said of the opening goal. “I knew that was the shot we’d get this game. Jared was there in the perfect spot. That’s what you want to see the kids do.”
Alex Abbott notched his 19th goal of the season and the eventual game-winner 12 minutes later on a penalty kick. As Abbott dribbled the ball into the left side of the 18-yard box, he was fouled and awarded the PK. Stuber got his hands on Abbott’s right-footed shot, but it tipped off his fingers and into the goal.
“For the way the season started, this is just icing on the cake,” Bailey said, alluding to the Patriots’ 2-4-1 start before their four-game losing streak. Since then, Jay County has won five straight. “The kids played hard (and) on their heels the whole game.”