Soccer Ads push Dawgs to OT, pks
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Farragut’s Matthew Briggs (25) battles a Bearden player for ball possession. - Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
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Bearden’s Timothy Styles and Admiral Lincoln Unger (3) battle for the ball. - Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
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Gavin Samples of Farragut (dark uniform) goes up high with a Bearden Bulldog to carry out a header pass during this District 4-3A showdown at FHS’ home field, the Farragut Intermediate School field, Saturday, April 26. - Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
It was a soccer match between rivals that not even two 10-minute sudden-death overtimes and a five-round penalty kick shootout could decide.
In the sixth shootout round of sudden-death, Bearden’s Ahmed Dkhiri talied to put his team up 5-4 in successful conversions.
Farragut then had its chance to tie it, but BHS goalkeeper Logan Nelson blocked away Nathan Henderson’s pk shot, ending the match with the SoccerDawgs on top.
The score after regulation was tied 1-1, which was followed by two scoreless 10-minute sudden-death overtimes before the shootout.
BHS head coach Ryan Radcliffe was happy to walk off with the scoreboard advantage, but didn’t think his squad played its best.
“A little bit frustrating,” he said. “When you score a goal in the first three minutes and then take your foot off the gas; I wasn’t very pleased the way we came out in the second half.
“Proud of the effort, but thought we had one too many mental lapses,” Radcliffe added.
Despite the final score, TSSAA rules call for a match that ends tied after regulation to be recorded as a tie. Bearden’s record after Saturday’s District 4-3A match was 13-1-1, 5-0-1 District. Farragut’s record became 8-3-3, 2-1-2 in District.
“This is the rivalry game you want,” Admirals head coach Bradley Culbreth said. “We came, they came. We made a couple adjustments. There’s all kinds of moving pieces to what we do.
“Hats off to them,” he added.
It appeared the Bulldogs might run away with the match early, jumping to a 1-0 lead just a bit more than three minutes into the first half. At the 36:44 mark, Preston Ford took a pass from Aidan Ainsworth and scored. Bearden’s 1-0 lead held through halftime.
Farragut tied it with 34:04 left in regulation because of a handball penalty called against Bearden.
Franklin Von Hagen converted, tying the score.
With 5:35 left in regulation, Bearden had a potential game-winning kick hit the crossbar.
The match was physical, with bodies regularly hitting the turf — some staying down for several minutes. “That’s Bearden/Farragut, that’s how it’s supposed to be,” Radcliffe said.
For the match, the Bulldogs had 11 shots on goal versus eight for the Ads.
“You hate to lose, but I’m a hundred percent happy with what we did tonight,” Culbreth said about putting a scare into the defending state champs.
