Story by J.T. Elliott
It was a long night of soccer on the pitch at Madison Central High School on Wednesday evening. The 44th District soccer tournaments were hosted by Model Laboratory School, with both the girls’ and boys’ titles on the line.
The ladies kicked things off shortly after 6 p.m. under a beautifully cloudy sky. The contest started like a prize fight, with both teams throwing haymakers in search of an advantage. The Lady Indians jumped out to a 2-0 lead, with ball movement from Payton McGinn and Presley Andery leading to goals at the 36:32 and 34:23 marks.
The Lady Eagles responded at 32:42 with a goal by Mia Pingleton and then tied the game at 12:23 when a shot slipped off the fingers of Central goalkeeper Delaney Fields and crossed the goal line.
The second half saw Southern create additional corner-kick opportunities, but the Lady Eagles could not convert on the set pieces. Central’s Presley would connect with the back of the net for her second goal at the 14:37 mark, giving the Lady Indians the eventual victory.
The Girls’ 44th District Championship All-Tournament Team included Claire Sparks and Lucy Smith from Model; Camdyn King and Mary Fransisco from Berea; Emma Kelley, Natalee Alexander, and Katherine Hemenway from Madison Southern; and McKenzie Mullins, Narae Compton, and Payton McGinn from Madison Central. Lileean Strack of Madison Central was named MVP.
The boys’ game was all about possession, a factor Madison Central controlled on the field. Sophomore Josiah Simmons scored first for Central at 21:36. As the half was about to end, the Indians extended their lead to 2-0 with only 17 seconds remaining.
The second half was delayed significantly due to inclement weather, with only 19:01 remaining on the clock. Due to KHSAA bylaws, postseason play must be played to completion. The match resumed after 11 p.m.
Central added a goal at the 2:25 mark to seal the 3-0 victory.
The Boys’ 44th District Championship All-Tournament Team included Lucian Forsythe and Michael Reljac from Model; Blake King and Noah Vundi from Berea; Charlie Jackson, Zander Dasilva, and Henry Basham from Madison Southern; and Josiah Simmons, Kai Bauer, and Easton Morris from Madison Central. Nicky Knecht of Madison Central was named MVP.
