Lady Hawks tie paves way for Maryville district crown
HARDIN VALLEY — The Hardin Valley Academy girls soccer team had a shot to claim the District 4-AAA regular-season title late last week.
“I’m just happy that we got this far,” said Nora Jacomen, HVA sophomore forward, who scored HVA’s goal in a 1-1 draw against the Lady Rebels Thursday, Sept. 24, in Northwest Knox County. “With (COVID-19), you’re always worried that you’re going to get a call saying that someone’s tested positive and then we’ll all have to go into quarantine.”
Jacomen gave the Lady Hawks a 1-0 lead when she tallied in the 22nd minute.
“I saw the goal open and I shot it toward the goal and it went in,” she said. “I thought it might bounce off the keeper, or something, but it went in.”
With the draw, the Lady Hawks (4-4-3 overall, 3-0-2 in the district) will likely get the No. 2 seed in the upcoming District 4-AAA Tournament.
Maryville will claim the top spot if it defeats Heritage later this season.
“We have two ties, Maryville is undefeated and Farragut has a loss and a tie, so unless something really unexpected happens, Maryville will finish first and we’ll be second,” HVA head coach Jessie Stephens said.
After Jacomen tallied, the Lady Rebels (6-1-1, 4-0) responded and picked up the equalizer when Taylor Hoag scored off a set play, as she took a corner kick from Madison Harp and banged it into the net in the 24th minute.
“Coach Stephens has done a great job with her team,” MHS head coach Steve Feather said. “Hardin Valley was supposed to be rebuilding, but they’re a good team and this was a good game.”
“Over the last two years, we’ve graduated 19 under classmen, and with this young team coming in here, we’ve really worked on just trying to mentally be able to stay in everything and play our game of soccer,” Stephens said.
“I think, overall, that the season for us has been a big process.”
