Clarksville, TN – For the first time in school history, the Rossview Hawks boys soccer team hosted the Region 5-AAA Finals against the 2013 Region Champion Mount Juliet Golden Bears Thursday, May 15th.
The home field did not help the Hawks withstand the Golden Bears offensive attack. The Golden Bears captured their second Region Championship in a row, defeating the Hawks 3-1.
The Golden Bears frontline pressed the Hawks most of the game. Their speed kept the Hawks on the defensive. Rossview was beat to the ball and lost most of the one-on-one battles.
“I thought they were quick to the ball tonight. A little bit quicker than us to the ball. That made it a little bit of a difference in the game,” Rossview head coach Danny Chartrand said.The Golden Bears frontline pushed the Hawks from the opening kick off. The Golden Bears made seven shots on goal and were given four corner kicks. They scored first in the 3rd minute of the game.
The Hawks responded with their only goal of the game five minutes later. The Golden Bears found the net again in the 14th minute of the first half, putting the pressure on the Hawks to come from behind the rest of the game.
“They got the goal early and kind of put us under the gun,” Chartrand said. “We did get back level, I thought. The second goal we allowed was real soft. That get’s guy’s heads down a little bit.”
The Golden Bears first goal started with a lead pass up the middle with two Bear’s sprinting forwards getting behind Rossview’s defense. Chandler Bauder and Austin Coleman closed on the Hawk’s goal. Bauder lobbed a great pass over the goalkeeper, setting up Coleman with a point blank shot on the net.
Rossview tied the game, in the 8th minute. Dylan Schwartz made a cross from the corner to James Stevens who scored the goal.
The tie lasted six minutes, when Zack McGhiggles threw the ball into a crowd in front of the goal from the sideline. Mount Juliet’s Cameron Woodfin elevated to score with a header, giving the Golden Bears the 2-1 lead.
The Hawks scrambled to score the rest of the game, but could not generate many offense attempts. They were constantly pressed to defend against the speedier Golden Bears and the few attempts they did make were stopped short by the Golden Bears backs.
The Hawks made four total shots on goal, one in the second half. They also had only one corner kick.
The Golden Bears scored from another sideline throw in the 60th minute. This time McGhiggles found Tanner Dabell who cleaned up at the net.
“They are a good team. Hat’s off to Mount Juliet. They played well, a good solid game,” Chartrand said. “Our boys played hard. I’m proud of them.”
Both teams will continue to play in the Sectionals. Because they lost, the Hawks must travel to play Franklin Saturday, May 17th.
“I told them to keep their heads up, We still have another game to play,” Chartrand said. “It’s a tougher road to the state now than what it was if we win this game, but keep your heads up, its been a good season. You have got to keep moving forward.”