The Bainbridge High School Bearcats soccer team was edged 1-0 Friday by the Americus-Sumter County High School Panthers in Americus.

The Panthers scored the winning goal in the sixth minute when their forward slipped the ball into the net just ahead of a Bearcats defender.

Bearcats coach Jamie Ard said it was a hard fought game and Americus-Sumter County was much improved from last season.

“When Americus-Sumter County got the opening goal, they set up a solid defense and made it difficult for us to get a shot that we could finish easily,” he said. “They played well and we did not play up to our potential.”

Ard said he thought the back end of the Bearcats defense, led by Villecer Sarmiento, played very well.

“Sarmiento played an outstanding game and really ended some threatning attacks by the Panthers,” he said. “Ricardo Campos, who came in off the bench, and Kimani Crawford and Lenorris Flanders were very strong as well.”