LaFayette boys have state playoffs in their sights
It’s been a number of years since the LaFayette Ramblers last went to the state soccer playoffs.
They took another step toward ending that drought last Tuesday.
Fighting through frigid temperatures and very windy conditions, the Ramblers moved to 4-2 overall and, most importantly, 2-0 in Region 6-AAAA with a 3-2 home victory over Heritage in Jack King Stadium.
LaFayette got the scoring started off a corner kick by Julian Murray that found its way into the net off a Heritage player.
The Ramblers would add two more after the break. Brodie Leiser scored off of a Matthew Newsom throw-in midway through the half, while Newsom assisted on an Ethan Kennedy goal with seven minutes to play.
The Generals would make things very interesting by scoring twice in the late stages, but LaFayette keeper Beau Thrash made two big saves late to seal it. He finished with eight total stops.
Ethan Demo and Jacob Emahiser found the back of the net for the Generals.
Heritage girls 4, LaFayette 0
The Lady Generals scored two goals in each half and claimed a region victory at LaFayette on Tuesday night.
Brianna Smotherman scored twice for the Lady Generals, while Anna Boley and Alyssa Boley also found the net for Heritage. Finley Brisendine, Caylee Carpenter and Austin Brookshire all recorded assists and Sydney Rogers got the shutout in goal for Heritage.
The Lady Ramblers fell to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in region play with the loss.
Gilmer girls 7, Ridgeland 3
The Lady Panthers scored twice in the first five minutes of their match last Tuesday, but could not make the 2-0 lead hold up as they lost a home decision to Gilmer.
Katie Carruth scored twice for Ridgeland, while Whitney Boehm had a solo tally.
Riley McBee had 13 saves in goal for the Lady Panthers.
In the nightcap, the Panthers fell behind 1-0 at the half and could never make up the deficit.
The Bobcats scored midway through the second half and added a third goal in closing minutes.
Angel Ojeda scored in the second half for Ridgeland off an assist from Bode Tucker.
Ridgeland boys 1, Heritage 0
The Panthers got a penalty kick goal from Rubin Livarchuk midway through the second half and made it stand as they scored an important victory over visiting Heritage on Thursday night.
“We were very organized and played disciplined team defense,” head coach Tim Sparks said. “Jacob Robinson recorded the clean sheet. Jacob Keeton, Cesar Pichardo and Conner Middleton led the defense and Bode Tucker really helped by controlling the midfield by winning loose balls and then distributing them.”
Ridgeland (4-4-1 overall) moved to 1-2 in Region 6-AAAA play to keep its playoff hopes intact, while the Generals dropped to 1-7 overall and 0-4 in the region. Two of their four region losses have come by just one goal and a third was after a penalty kick shootout.
The night’s first match went the way of the Navy-and-Red as four goals from Anna Boley and three goals by Smotherman were more than enough for the Lady Generals.
Emily Schoenborn had three assists and found the net once on her own. Carpenter and Brisendine each had a goal and assisted on two more, while Brookshire had a goal and an assist. Alyssa Boley and Ansley Peeler also collected assists for Heritage (9-11, 4-0).
Courtney Durham had the only goal for Ridgeland (1-7, 0-3), while Alyssa Young had 14 saves in goal.
Sonoraville girls 4, LFO 1
The Lady Warriors got a goal from Sydnee Brown, but it was not enough to beat the Lady Phoenix in Calhoun
last Tuesday. Deandra Rowe had the assist on the goal, while Joanna Matute collected 13 saves in goal.
Sonoraville boys 6, LFO 0
In the boys’ match, the Warriors trailed only 2-0 at halftime, but the Phoenix would pull away in the second half of the region clash.
The Warriors were once again without
several key starters as the injury bug continues to bite hard.
Murray County girls 2, LFO 2
Tied 2-2 after regulation, the Lady Warriors lost a penalty kick shootout to visiting Murray County, 3-1, in a Region 6-AAA match on Thursday.
Brown and Chelsey Lindsay scored in regulation for LFO off assists from Rowe and Kaylee Gonzalez. Lindsey had the lone successful kick in the shootout.
Matute made 14 saves for the Lady Warriors (4-6, 1-3).
Murray County boys 6, LFO 0
In the nightcap, the Indians stayed unbeaten in region play after a shutout victory, dropping LFO to 0-9 overall and 0-4 in region play.
Southeast girls 10, Ringgold 0
The Lady Tigers fell to 0-5 with a non-region home loss last Tuesday. There was no boys’ match.