SPORTS
October 13, 2009

JCD Eagles defeat SR Raiders 2-1 to advance in boys soccer sectional #55

Gary Franklin
Sports Editor
The third time to meet a sports team when one has won the first two meetings is always the toughest to pull off. Not that it doesn't happen, but more times than not, the team losing the first tho games upsets their rival in the third match up of a season.
That was the case for the ORVC winning South Ripley Raiders boys soccer team in their opening sectional game played at JCDHS on Saturday evening, October 10.
The onslaught of rainy weather forced the game to be moved from its initial Thursday night playing time to the Saturday/Monday agenda
An extremely soft and muddy field, along with super fine temperatures created the surroundings for the fatal blow to SR's otherwise great season as the hosting JCDHS Eagle coed soccer team captured the right to advance to the championship contest by a final score of 2-1.
Enroute to the victory, the Eagles drew first blood with a score by Dalton Garnett early in the first half of competition.
Following a long playing interval with no scoring, the Raiders managed to put a goal on the scoreboard off an in advertent kick by an Eagle sending the ball toward their goalkeeper Shane Adams, just three feet from the front of the goal.
Raider senior Chase Grider capitalized on the miscue and drove the ball into the net for a tie game at 1-1.
The final score was the result of a rush by the Eagles toward Raider goalkeeper Kile Huss and his defending SR teammates with the last ticks ticking away on the game clock.
As seconds were being counted down from 10, Eagle senior managed to drive the ball deep into the heart of the Raiders' home goal, leaving a mere three seconds on the clock for the Raiders to work with, which was proven to be useless.
In match two, the Milan Indians faced the Jennings County Panthers. The Jen. Co. Panthers won by a final score of 4-2, earning a right to compete in the championship game, scheduled for Monday night, October 12.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Pictured above from left, JCD Eagle senior Spencer Purdy (16) continues to fulfill his game long pursuit assignment on SR Raider junior Dylan Groves (6), who is in pursuit of JCD Eagle sophomore Codey Martin (19) as Martin kicks the ball out of bounds to clear it during the Eagle-Raider Sectional #55 opening game clash.