Devils avenge earlier loss to Mountaineers
Model controlled the pace and tempo of Wednesday night’s game against North Murray from the opening kick, refusing to allow the Mountaineers any chances to take control and closing out the key Region 7-AA contest with a 2-0 home victory.
“I felt like the first time we played them that we kind of controlled the game, too, but we’re a young team, and we were still learning. I think we’ve made great strides since then, and you could really see that tonight,” Model head coach Donnie Mendence said. “My center midfielders, Jack Robinson and Brennan Dial, did a really good job controlling the midfield and distributing the ball to all of our forwards and outside midfielders.”
The Blue Devils’ offense made multiple runs through the first half and saw a few chances come up just short of scoring. Lakin Dancause came within inches of putting Model on the board early just missing a goal on a nice header in the 14th minute.
Ridge Hardaker finally hit pay dirt for the Blue Devils in the 31st minute when the ball caromed around the box. A couple of players tried but couldn’t quite corral it before he managed to slide the ball into the right side of the net, giving Model a
1-0 lead they would carry into halftime. Elijah Marshall got the assist on the goal.
The Devils again had chances in the second half with a couple of them coming in the final 10 minutes of play. Dancause missed a goal by inches as he lifted a shot over the North Murray keeper, but it hit the post and bounced out in the 71st minute.
Model’s defense responded in the 72nd minute as perhaps North
Murray’s best scoring chance ended when Model keeper Tanner Couey grabbed a dangerous shot, keeping the Mountaineers off the board.
The Blue Devils closed out the scoring in the 76th minute when Jack Robinson managed to get a strike on a ball in the box, pounding it into the lower right corner of the goal for the 2-0 Model lead. Wyatt Patterson picked up the assist.
Couey finished the contest with a shutout and six saves. The Model defense also did a great job of limiting shots for the Mountaineers as North Murray only managed a handful of good shots in the contest.
“We work a lot on strategically how they are going to attack. We know which foot they like to use. My guys did a great job of staying in front of the foot they wanted to shoot with and not give them a good shot,” Mendence said. “The whole objective was to keep them out of the 18, because Tanner does a great job on shots from far. And that’s what we did tonight.”
The win moves Model to 8-3-1 overall and 6-1 in Region 7-AA, helping avenge an earlier season loss to the Mountaineers. Model hits the road on Friday to travel to Fannin County for another region contest.
“We wanted to win 3-0 because of the tiebreakers. We know they have a jump on us with the tiebreaker. Our job from now on is to win out, and we have to hope someone else in there can get by them as well,” Mendence said. “But it’s really nice to get the win. This is the first time I’ve ever beaten North Murray. The fact that we’ve gone from losing games 10-0 when I started coaching 13 years ago to being in the hunt for a region championship is unbelievable.”