The boy’s soccer team scored in the second minute of their game against Americus-Sumter Monday. Bearcat senior midfielder Daniel Provence lofted a direct kick from the left side from 28 yards into the penalty area that deflected off a Panther defender’s head in the center of the field. Bainbridge senior midfielder Luis Mejia quickly shot across, scoring the lone Bainbridge goal from six yards out to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.
The Panthers responded in the ninth minute as an Americus-Sumter defender lofted a long pass over the Bainbridge defense and to a Panther forward on a breakaway in the center of the field that he dribbled past the Bainbridge keeper and scored from 16 yards out. Both teams battled throughout the contest, with Bainbridge having several shots just missing the target on several occasions. Defensive efforts on both sides resulted in a 1-1 tie.
Last Friday, the Bearcats soccer team made amends for their offensive effort in the opener by blasting Westover 8-1 in their second contest in Albany at Westover field. The Bearcats wasted no time by scoring six first half goals in the route.
Bainbridge’s first score came as Bearcat junior forward Emilio Hernandez lofted a corner kick from the left side to the center. Mejia quickly headed into the goal in the 10th minute to give Bainbridge a 1-0 lead.
In the 13th minute, Bearcat senior midfielder Emiliano Rivera scored the next Bearcat goal, as he stole a Patriot pass at the midstripe, quickly forwarded the pass to Mejia who returned the pass in front of Rivera, as he made a run into the center of the Penalty area, touching the ball to the left of the on rushing Westover Goalkeeper for the second score putting Bainbridge up 2-0.
In the 19th minute, Hernandez assisted in the third goal as well as he dribbled down field and centered a pass to Bainbridge freshman midfielder Leroy Rivera, who scored a goal from six yards out to extend the lead at 3-0.
Bainbridge senior forward Michael Moran intercepted a failed clearance pass on the right side and made a sliding shot from eight yards out to make the Bearcat lead to 4-0.
Leroy Rivera scored his second goal of the game in the 34th minute as he received a flick pass in the center from Hernandez that started on a well-placed pass from Emiliano Rivera.
The final goal of the first half came a minute later as Hernandez gave great hustle to win the ball on the Westover defensive third of the field and stole the ball, quickly putting it in the net from eight yards out.
Hernandez also scored the final two Bearcat goals of the game in the 50th and 57th minute of the second half. Both scores were breakaways set up by long, lofting passes by Mejia.
Westover scored their lone goal of the game in the 62nd minute on a penalty kick to the right side.