Girls Soccer – Jefferson came to town Tuesday and after two full time periods and two overtimes it came down to penalty kicks to decide the game. Jefferson put one more in the net than the Patriots (5-4 PK) thus handing OC their first loss of the season.
The first half saw both OC and Jefferson run the ball up and down the field several times while once in a while getting a shot on goal. At the 30 minute mark Jefferson made a break for the goal but Heather Helmreich broke up the play in the box. Three minutes later Laura Abney made a pass outside to Alexis Miller who took it to inside the six yard box before Jefferson blocked her attempt to score.
OC has several scoring attempts with a variety of players; at the 22nd minutes Abney got the ball just outside OC’s 18 yard box moving it towards Jefferson territory. Abney then passed to Natalie Doker whose shot on goal was wide. Abney, on the ensuing goal kick, moved the ball up for another shot on goal that went wide.
With six minutes in the half Abney got control of the ball at mid-field and passed it to Alison Miller who dribbled it to just outside Jefferson’s 18 yard box and passed it back to Abney who then scored for OC.
Two minutes later Jefferson put their first point on the board and both teams went to halftime tied 1-1.
The second half started in the rain and seemed to stifle any offense for the first twenty minutes of the half. However, at the 19 minute point Abney made a shot on goal and then Sarah Chastain was given a yellow card. Six minutes after that Abney, on a free kick, scored for OC putting the Patriots up by 1. Abney’s goal was described as “sick”. If you are less than 25 years-old you know what of sick means. If not, it means that the goal was the result of an absolutely beautiful soccer shot.
Jefferson equalized with just a few minutes left in the game setting up the first overtime period.
Overtime in high school soccer consists of a five minute period after the end of regular play. If no one scores then they go to a second five minute overtime period, which is what happened with Jefferson and OC.
In the second OT Abney had three shots on goal two of which went wide and one was blocked.
Following the overtime periods the game was settled with penalty kicks. Each team gets five chances to score from the penalty kick spot in the box. It’s just the kicker and the keeper. The teams shoot alternatively until there is a clear victor. If at the end of the first round of five PK’s everything is tied it keeps going until someone wins. Jefferson didn’t need a second round winning the game on PK’s 5-4.
OC plays Friday, March 2nd at 5:30pm when they travel to Social Circle.
Boys Soccer – The boy’s game didn’t get started until late due to the girl’s game going into overtime, plus it was raining. Nevertheless, Oglethorpe played one of their better games of the season despite losing to the Dragons 1-0.
The first half of the game was a stalemate between both teams, neither one getting a great advantage over the other; although Jefferson did possess the ball more than OC. OC’s defense stiffened and stopped numerous Jefferson scoring attempts. “I was proud of Nick [Sanchez] and Ezra [Underwood] tonight,” said Captain and sweeper Griffin Giles. “They both played a really good game and stopped several shots on goal.”
The second half was pretty much a carbon copy of the first except that late in the half Jefferson finally got a ball past OC’s defense and into the goal for the only score of the game. With less than five minutes remaining OC’s front line became more intense in their effort to equalize with shots by Sean Atkinson, Cody Flores O.T. Padilla and even a shot by stopper Cody Boarders.
While the OC boys have yet to put a check in the win column it’s just a matter of time before it happens. OC plays Social Circle away on Friday, March 2nd at 7:30pm.
Middle School Soccer – Just a note, the middle school boy’s soccer team is presently undefeated with a record of 5-0. They go to George Walton Academy Thursday, March 1st. The girls play first at 4:30pm then the boys at 5:30pm.
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