Adams leads Bearcat win

Published 12:12 pm Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Coach Brian McCorkle’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats soccer team jumped out to a 5-1 halftime lead on the strength of three sophomore Keenan Adams goals and went on to hand the Americus-Sumter County High School Panthers a 7-4 Region 1AAAA loss Friday night in Americus.

The win improves the Bearcats’ season record to 6-1. They are 2-0 in Region 1AAAA play.

Adams scored his first goal in the match’s second minute. Junior midfielder Juan Mejia lofted a corner kick from the right side to the near post where Adams headed the ball and it ricocheted off the Panther goalkeeper’s hands and he alertly followed with a 1-yard shot into the right side of the net.

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Junior midfielder Antonio Butler put the Bearcats up 2-0 in the 24th minute when he received a clearance ball and dribbled down the left side for a breakaway goal.

Adams converted a goal from 6 yards out in the 26th minute after he took a pass from Jorge Garcia on the right side.

The final Adams first half goal, which put the Bearcats up 4-0, came on a breakaway shot in the 28th minute. Senior center midfielder Jesus Castilla assisted on the play.

The Panthers scored on a 25-yard free kick after being fouled outside the penalty area to cut the advantage to 4-1.

Meja concluded the Bearcats first-half scoring and put them up 5-1 with a steal and 12-yard shot that crossed over and went into the right post area of the net.

In the second half, the Bearcats scored on a header shot from 6 yards out by senior defender Mike Torres following a corner kick from Mejia on the left side in the 60th minute and a penalty kick to the right side by sophomore forward Bryan Odornez off a deflection following a penalty kick to the right side in the 73rd minute.

The Panthers scored their final goal on a breakaway in the last minute of the match.