Team Georgia boys pick up shootout win in Soccer Classic
The Tennessee All-Stars stunned their counterparts from the Peach State with the tying goal with just over two minutes to play, but Georgia would go on to beat the Volunteer State in a shootout to win the 2016 version of the Tennessee-Georgia Boys’ Soccer Classic at Chattanooga Finley Stadium this past Friday.
On a blistering hot day with air temperatures climbing over 95 degrees and temperatures on the turf even hotter, the Georgia boys struck first in the 27th minute as Javier Alfaro (North Murray) blasted an absolute laser from close to 25 yards out that nearly sliced through the back of the net.
But with 13 minutes left in the first half, Georgia was called for a penalty in the box and Sam Stewart (Baylor) hammered the ball home to knot the score at 1-1 as the teams went to intermission.
Georgia controlled the majority of the action and the possession in the second half, nearly scoring in the opening minute, but seeing the ball bang off the cross bar. Gibby Perez (Dalton) just missed finding the net in the 56th and 58th minutes and another shot by the Peach State missed just wide with 15 minutes remaining.
Perez was taken down in the box three minutes later and was awarded a penalty kick, but keeper Gustavo Wilhelm (Cleveland) made an incredible save to his right to thwart Perez once more.
However, Perez would finally break through with just over 10 minutes to play as he got free in the box and redirected a shot past Wilhelm to finally put Georgia back in front.
The score appeared destined to end up 2-1, but with just 2:02 remaining on the clock. Aaron Rucker (McMinn County) sent a pass into the box and found the foot of Stewart and the former Red Raider then put it home for the improbable equalizer.
The final 122 seconds were wild and wooly as both teams came close to incredible game-winners. Stewart sent a blast that was knocked away at the last possible second by the Georgia keeper with 45 seconds to left and Georgia just missed on a counterattack 20 seconds later, but saw the ball sail wide of its target.
After the final whistle, the two teams elected to decide the outcome with a penalty kick shootout. Alejandro Mejia (Coahulla Creek) came up with a big save for Tennessee in the fourth round and Wilhelm made a nice save in the second round, but Tennessee would miss its second attempt, opening the door for Georgia.
The final three Georgia strikers all beat Wilhelm to give Georgia a 4-2 win in the shootout and victory in the match.
Perez and Stewart were named the Players of the Game for their respective sides.
The Girls’ Classic that followed had far less drama as Team Tennessee built a 4-0 lead at halftime and eventually coasted to a 7-0 victory.
Keyle Snyder (GPS), Emma Higgins (Notre Dame), Samantha Green (Hixson) and Sofia Olenchek (Notre Dame) all scored once in the opening 40 minutes, which — like the Boys’ Classic — included a hydration break after 20 minutes of action.
Georgia, who had just 10 players, recruited two Tennessee reserves for their side in the final 40 minutes, but it did little to stem the tide as Tennessee’s fresher legs began to get behind the Georgia defense with more frequency.
And while keeper Sydney Covington (Southeast Whitfield) came up a big number of saves against the Tennessee offensive attack, she couldn’t stop them all. Nicole Ford (East Hamilton) was the main beneficiary as she had a hat trick in the final 28 minutes to cap the scoring.
Ford and Covington were named the Players of the Game for their efforts.
The TennesseeGeorgia All-Star Series was slated to conclude on Tuesday with the Softball Classic at Chattanooga’s Frost Stadium. The annual doubleheader — the oldest of the All-Star Classics, having been held every year since 1998 — will begin at 6 p.m.