Patriots fall to Tigers in PKs

YORKTOWN — With one starter out because of a concussion and the other on the sidelines after picking up her second yellow card, all eyes were on the backup goalkeepers.

Shelby Caldwell, a Jay County High School sophomore, had given up three goals during regulation, but stood tall for the better part of the two overtime periods.

But a well-placed shot by Yorktown senior Hannah Rapp tied the score late in the second overtime, and Yorktown keeper Brynmar Rees made three saves in penalty kicks as sectional champion Yorktown Tigers defeated the Patriots in 5-4 (3-1 PK) Tuesday night at Yorktown Sports Park to advance to Saturday’s sectional championship.

It was the second time in as many seasons Yorktown knocked Jay County out of the sectional tournament after the Patriots defeated the Tigers to win the title in 2013 and 2014.

Despite not being able to repeat her performance from the overtime periods, JCHS coach Giles Laux was pleased with Caldwell, who was making her second career start. Her first came in the regular-season finale — a 7-0 win over Muncie Central — after starter Lilly Rogers suffered a concussion during a 5-2 regular-season loss to Yorktown.

“Lot of mental toughness on her part,” JCHS coach Giles Laux said of Caldwell. “She did what she needed to do. I know she thinks it falls on her but it doesn’t. It falls on 25 players and two coaches.

“She did a great job I thought.”

Rees, a Yorktown junior, entered late in regulation after starter Tyrah Bell was given a yellow card. Then 2 minutes, 22 seconds into the first overtime period, Rees was thrust into action yet again when Bell picked up her second card.

According to IHSAA rules, if a player receives two yellow cards it is an automatic red card and an ejection. Bell had to leave the game — she is suspended for the sectional final as well — and the Tigers were forced to play down a player for the remainder of the contest.

Rees subsequently gave up the go-ahead goal when JCHS senior Stormi Canterbury beat her for the second time on a penalty kick for a 4-3 Jay County advantage.

But as Rapp tied the score in the final minute of the second overtime period, the pressure was put back on the reserve keepers as the game headed to PKs.

Yorktown’s Erica Bergman beat Caldwell, and Bell stopped Canterbury’s attempt. Elizabeth Wilhote’s shot sailed over the head of Caldwell and the crossbar, then JCHS junior Lucy Laux tied it up after her shot hit the crossbar and bounced off Rees’ back and then the left post for a goal.

After two rounds, each team had one goal.

Elizabeth Smith went to the lower right corner to beat Caldwell, and Rees stopped Breea Liette’s shot for a 2-1 Tiger advantage. Rapp followed Smith in staying low and to the right and a 3-1 Yorktown lead.

With a chance to seal the win, Rees turned away Alex Bader’s attempt to clinch her team a spot in the final.

“She just came in and stepped up big,” said Yorktown coach Tim Ashton, whose team meets Delaware County rival Delta at 2 p.m. Saturday. “It was fun. It was stressful.”

Jay County jumped on Yorktown during the first half, as it had a 9-4 advantage in scoring opportunities in the first 19 minutes.

The Patriots finally broke through with 20:57 to play when sophomore Kendra Muhlenkamp slipped behind the Tiger defense on a through ball and buried a shot past Bell for the game’s first goal.

Nearly four minutes later, the speed of Lucy Laux led to another goal, as Muhlenkamp sent a through ball to Laux. The Patriots’ leading scorer made a run to the center of the field and beat Bell to the lower left side of the net.

“Jay County looked good,” said Ashton. “They came out strong, fast. I didn’t see the speed they had tonight two weeks ago, which caught us a little bit by surprise. I knew they had some fast players but overall, all of them together, they were definitely playing well.”

Yorktown cut into the deficit during the second half, scoring in the 52nd minute when Alexis Detrich found the back of the net on a free ball in the 18-yard box. Less than two minutes later Hannah Rapp beat the defense and then Caldwell to tie the score at 2-2.

With 17:55 to play, Julia Perry scored to give the Tigers their first lead of the game.

And with 9:45 remaining, Bell collided with Muhlenkamp in the box for her first yellow card. With Rees stepping in, her first task was to face a penalty kick.

Canterbury prevailed, beating Rees for the game-tying goal before adding the go-ahead tally in the first 7-minute overtime period.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them because they never quit,” Laux said. “They busted it the whole game, and they knew they had to against this team.

“We gave it our all. We had no regrets. We left everything on the field, it’s just Yorktown was one better than us today.”