Baylor nips McCallie on PKs in state final
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The culmination of Patrick Urey’s high school sports career could not have been scripted any better.
The Baylor senior scored on the game-tying header in overtime of the Division II-AA state soccer championship against rival McCallie, then netted the winning penalty kick in the shootout to give the Red Raiders a 4-3 win in kicks for the school’s first state championship since 2012. The score was 2-2.
It was an even more special moment for Urey, whose mom Maureen Sullivan died at the age of 51 last August. And while the family has had its share of suffering, the kids have been able to channel that positively on playing surfaces. Urey’s sister Shannon, a junior, saved the potential winning penalty kick that gave the Baylor girls the state championship in the fall. On top of Patrick’s soccer prowess, the 6-foot-6 Urey is also a basketball player who has signed with Mercer.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to do this and do this for her,” Urey said. “I know how proud she would be of me and my sister and everything we’ve done.”
The Red Raiders showed resolve Thursday, twice rallying from a goal down to force the shootout. On top of that, they played the final 13:07 of
regulation, plus 30 minutes of overtime with 10 players after Dee Appleberry was given his second yellow card, an automatic ejection.
In total, 12 yellow cards were issued Thursday, including three given to coaches — two for Baylor, one for McCallie.
After a scoreless first half, McCallie (16-2-2) took a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute on a goal by Ben Brock set up by a Stone Roebuck assist. The Red Raiders matched that goal in the 52nd minute on a free kick by Eemeli Makela.
McCallie’s Jordan Morris put the Blue Tornado back in front when he scored on a follow after Baylor keeper Mats Pokela was unable to cleanly secure the ball, but the Red Raiders responded in the second overtime on Urey’s header.
Pokela made up for his miscue in the shootout, saving a Aidan Foley shot and making an attempt. After Urey’s shot hit the back of the net, the mob ensued.
“I’ve never had a team play with guts and glory and fight in them,” Baylor coach Curtis Blair said. “That’s a family right there. We went through everything, but we didn’t panic and came back. I think coaches have years and years of experience to be able to have this opportunity; I feel like I’m very blessed to be at Baylor to have the opportunity to win not just one, but two (state championships) in the same year, that doesn’t happen.
“It just means that God’s really good and he’s blessed me in more ways than I probably deserve.”
Pokela finished with two saves for Baylor, while Henry Hooks had one. McCallie’s Andrew Prescott was credited with one save.
“Give a lot of credit to them for continuing to battle,” McCallie coach Chris Cushenbery said. “They kept pressing; it took a lot for them to battle and get back in.
“I couldn’t be more proud of my guys. That’s the way soccer goes sometimes.”