Lady Seahawks open state tourney with win

After winning their first-ever district Friday night, and then opening the state playoffs with a victory Tuesday night in the regional quarterfinals, the Lady Seahawks varsity girls soccer team will host Maclay Friday night in what promises to be an epic match-up.

“We understand the Lady Marauders play an intense level of soccer, but we intend to match their efforts,” said Coach Kelli Maggio, after her squad downed Hamilton County 3-1 Tuesday at the Mikel Clark Sports Complex to advance to Friday’s regional semifinals.

Maggio had a grin from ear-to-ear Friday night, even after her squad poured a giant bucket of ice water over her, after her squad won 3-1 on penalty kicks against Rocky Bayou Christian to win their first-ever Class 1A District 1 title.

During the regular season, the two teams played two scoreless draws, so that Friday’s stalemate during the two-40-minute halves, and then two 10-mintie sudden death overtimes, marked 260 minutes of scoreless soccer played by the two squads.

“Friday night's game was not going to end in a tie,” said Maggio, after both teams had battled throughout the match with tough play.

Rocky Bayou had two break away opportunities in overtime that were miraculously saved by goalkeeper freshman Macy Hunt.  The Lady Seahawks had breakaway opportunities of their own, and they too were saved by the Rocky Bayou goalkeeper. 

With two minutes left in overtime the Lady Seahawks dodged a bullet when the Lady Knights cracked a shot that hit the crossbar.  Still scoreless after the two overtimes, the contest now came down to penalty kick shootout.

The two teams alternated shots with Rocky Bayou shooting first. Hunt saved the first penalty kick from Rocky Bayou, which set the stage for senior Megan Newell to nail her shot in the corner to take a 1-0 lead.

After the next kicker for the Lady Knights made their only shot to tie the game, freshman Katie Seger stepped up and put her shot in the back of the net to put the Lady Seahawks ahead. Hunt once again made a great save on the next Rocky Bayou penalty kick. Sophomore Jessica Shields then put her shot in the left corner to give the Lady Seahawks a 3-1 lead.

The Lady Knights had one last chance, but the shot went over the goal, and the girls galloped off the field in joy. Hunt had racked up 23 saves to record her seventh shutout of the season.

“We have been practicing penalty kicks at the end of every practice because we felt it might come down to this,” said Maggio. “We had our list of kickers ready on Thursday night. Macy Hunt and the three kickers came up big when it really counted. I knew Macy would do well in the shootout, with all the great saves she has made throughout the season.

“Our team battled ‘till the end and left it all on the field,” said the coach, who is assisted in coaching by Ramon Valenzuela. "I continue to be impressed with sophomores Gracyn Kirvin and Adrianna Reeder's gutty play from one end to the other."

The Seahawk victory snapped a string of eight district titles for Lady Knight head coach Brian Alldredge.

“The girl who missed the last penalty kick came back afterwards and said ‘That’s what God wanted. God has a lot of plans and apparently His plan was their good skill, their play needed to be rewarded more than ours did,” said Alldredge. “Franklin County did a great job.”

Down Hamilton County in physical match

The Lady Seahawks, hosting the Hamilton County Lady Trojans in the regional quarterfinals Tuesday, jumped to a to a quick 1-0 lead just 10 minutes into the game after Newell nailed a goal off a nice pass from Seger.

Both teams then traded shots on both ends of the field, before the Lady Seahawks broke through 20 minutes into the second half with a second goal. Newell crossed a beautiful ball to Shields who put the ball in the left corner.  Hamilton County kept fighting and cut the lead to 2-1 with eight minutes left in the match with a goal by Jasmine Johnson.  But with less than five minutes left the Lady Seahawks put the game away with Newell's second goal of the game off a pass from Shields. 

"The girls fought hard throughout the game, I can't say enough about this team, they just keep playing hard,” said Maggio. “Our defense, anchored by senior Jessica Dempsey, was relentless tonight. Gracyn Kirvin continues to play a determined style of soccer.  She may not score goals but she has an enormous impact on our success."

Hunt had 19 saves in the win. The Lady Seahawks now face Maclay School at home this Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. in the regional semifinals.

Maclay (15-4-2) downed Rocky Bayou 5-0 Tuesday to advance.