The 2019-20 13th Disrict soccer tournament kicked off Monday, Oct, 7. at LCHS. It was played at Cougar Field at the football stadium with the beautiful brand new soccer complex not quite ready for play.
Game 1 saw the #1 seed home team LC Lady Cougars shutting out the crosstown rival RHS Lady Panthers by a score of 10-0. Goal scorers for LCHS were Kaydyn Costello leading the way with 4, Peyton Vanzant with 2 and 1 goal each by Morgan Gafford, Campbell Hamilton, Brianna Shelton and Addie Corder. Goal keeper Brady Alsup got the shutout.
In the 2nd game of the evening, the Cougar boys blanked Todd County Central by a 4-nil score. Bradley Taylor had 2 goals with Ethan Haley and Zac Matthews getting one apiece. Goalie Parker Bray held off every Rebel shot on goal.
Tuesday night Franklin-Simpson, the girls #2 seed, blanked Todd County 4-0 in the opening game and the RHS Panthers held off the F-S boys 2-1 in a very tightly played contest. Dustin Brown got the scoring started early with a header for a 1-0 RHS lead but Franklin tied the score a little more than halfway through the first half where the score remained 1-1 until less than a minute was left when Avery Flener drilled the game winner, insuring both local boys teams a spot in next week’s 4th Region Tournament. Nathan Cates had a nice game in net for the Panthers, denying several F-S shots on goal.
Lady Cats 5, Lady Cougars 4 OT
Thursday was Championship night and the host school was hoping for twin District titles. but those hopes were put to bed in the opening game as the Lady Wildcats from FSHS beat the Lady Cougars in a heart-breaking OT loss 5-4. The game started slow with not much action for the first 28 minutes when Logan got on the board on a goal from Vanzant on a sweet assist by Hamilton. F-S answered with a rebound goal off a missed shot that caromed to Mackenzie Reece with about 7:40 left in the half. The Lady Cats took a 2-1 lead into half as Kate Norwood scored her 1st of 4 goals with under a minute to play.
The second half began with Franklin's Norwood getting goal #2 on a Penalty Kick just 3:30 into the frame. From there the Lady Cougars showed why they were the #1 seed as they quickly responded with 3 goals in a span of a little over 6 minutes to lead 4-3.
Vanzant got her 2nd goal of the game at 33:40, followed by Costello's PK at the 30:15 mark, and Vanzant got her Hat Trick 3rd goal of the game at 27:25. The lead lasted about 4 minutes until F-S and Norwood were given another Penalty Kick at 23:20 left in the game.
LCHS had a couple chances to take the lead back but the Franklin goal keeper Lexi Phillips turned away an almost sure goal kick from Camilla Arevalo with 9:45 remaining. LC then looked as if it had scored the go ahead goal as Arevalo found the back of the net, but officials ruled someone from Logan had made contact with their hand or arm and the potential game winner was taken off the scoreboard. Alsup made a couple great saves inside of the last 4 and a half minutes of regulation play to force a "Golden Goal" period.
Just 35 seconds into the formerly known as Sudden Death period, Norwood netted a shot from about 35 yards that Alsup got her hands on but the ball trickled in for the afore mentioned heartbreaking 5-4 loss.
The trophy presentation was held with the All Season team featuring Anastasia Dowlen and Aliyah Kennedy from the Lady Panthers and 4 Lady Cougars making the team, Brady Alsup, Addie Corder, Kadyn Costello and Kierra Costello. Also making the all season team from FSHS were Kate Norwood, Lexi Phillips and Mackenzie Reece. Filling out the squad were TCCHS Alexis Andrews, Madison Henderson and Samantha Case.
Playing their last game on home turf for the Lady Cougars were Morgan Gafford, Peyton Vanzant and Hannah Matthews.
Cougars 5, Panthers 0
In the boys game, LCHS proved to be too much for the Panthers by virtue of a 5-0 score. Andrew Katz got the Cougars rolling just under 5 minutes into the game. Luke Davenport followed that up by drilling a long distance goal from about 40 yards that found the net for a 2-0 Cougar lead. There was no more scoring in the first half as both goal keepers played well. The home team's Parker Bray fought off every Panther attempt including a diving stop on a Penalty Kick from Panther Avery Flener at 3:48. RHS keeper Nathan Cates was equal to the task the rest of the half,turning away a few shots on goal including a PK from Dalton Taylor at 10:15. Zac Matthews’ header attempt sailed just wide of the net at the 6:25 mark.
The second half saw Jaden Hayes score oa couple of long goals in a span of 3 and a half minutes. The first came at 37:05, and the second long goal gave the Cougars an insurmountable 4-0 lead with 33:35 left to play. The scoring was closed out by Ethan Haley in extra play stoppage time for the final score of 5-0.
Logan County Superintendent Paul Mullins and Principal Caycee Spears presented all season trophies to RHS’ Avery Flener, Dustin Brown and Nathan Cates. From LCHS Dalton Taylor, Ethan Haley, Jaden Hayes and Parker Bray were awarded as well as TCCHS players Honah Rager and Luis Herrera. Filling out the team were Alan Olivio, Ben Blanton and Sam Mylor from Franklin.
Seniors for LCHS in the last time at Cougar Field - Parker Bray, Thomas Bilyeu, Camden Bond, Jaden Hayes, Dalton Taylor, Lucas Taylor, Christian Hines, Ethan Haley, Chase Kie and Luke Davenport.
The Lady Wildcats and Lady Cougars will play in the regional tourney next week at Warren Central while both local boys teams will play at BGHS for the boys region.
Coaches for Russellville are Eric Evans for the Lady Panthers and Jeramy Rust for the Panthers. LCHS Lady Cougar coach is Barry McReynolds and Cougar boys coach is Hunt McCollom.