Bearcat soccer splits two thrillers over past week

Published 2:27 pm Friday, March 13, 2020

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The Bainbridge High School Boys varsity soccer teams split two contests recently defeating the Dougherty High School Trojans Tuesday night in Albany, while coming up on the short end of a exciting 4-3 game with Warner Robins last Friday night at Centennial Field.

On Tuesday night in Albany, Bainbridge scored two goals in each half to propel them to a 4-2 victory.

In the first half Bainbridge dominated play, but it was not until the 31st minute, before the Bearcats were able to get a score. Bearcat Midfielder Juan Escamilla sent a long lofted pass to Forward Nix Mcintosh who headed it into the goal from 5 yards away to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.

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Bainbridge Junior Forward Jose Avalo scored his first of two goals on the night in the 34th minute as Sophomore Forward Mason Ard found him on a breakaway selling the lead at 2-0 for the Bearcats.

Dougherty cut the lead at 2-1 in the 43rd minute on a strike from 25 yards out. In the 56th minute Dougherty tied the score on another long shot, this time from 27 yards out to make it a 2-2 game.

The Bearcats retook the lead , at 3-2 in the 57th minute, as Avalo scored on an assist from Senior midfielder Stokes Moore. 

Moore raced past the Trojan defense and found Avalo on the back side for the scoring shot.

Bainbridge completed the scoring on the night with a goal in the 78th minute, as Ard threw in a pass to Junior Forward Ashton Matthews who quickly headed the ball into the goal from 12 yards out. The 4-2 score stood giving the Bearcats their seventh win on the season.

Last Friday night the Bearcats hosted the Region leading Veterans High School,but in a thrilling seesaw affair the Warhawks were able to prevail with only seconds left on the clock for the victory.

The Bearcats struck first in the 19th minute as Senior Midfielder Cesar Chiguil scored on a direct kick outside the Warhawks penalty area. Bearcat Sophomore forward Mason Ard had gotten fouled on a breakaway at the top of the arc, that set up Chiguil’s 25 yard scoring strike.

Bainbridge made the score 2-0 ten minutes later when Forward Jose Avalo hit a scoring shot at the 29th minute. On the scoring play Ard had sent a pass from midfield to Avalo just outside corner of the penalty area, Avalo cut the ball back to his right and shook free from both a defender and the Veterans goalkeeper scoring from 16 yards out.

Just two minutes before the half Veterans scored their first goal of the contest by the result of an own goal. A Warhawks pass was sent into the Bearcat penalty area, and was headed towards the goal. Freshman Goalkeeper Dax Willis saved the shot, but could not get a handle on it . A Bearcat defender tried to clear the ball from the goal line, but unfortunately it  hit the post and then ricocheted into the goal.

Veterans scored two more goals, in both the 50th and 71st minute to take a second half lead before the Bearcats sprung back into life.

Senior Bearcat Midfielder Joe Emmons scored a goal at the 74h minute to tie the score at three a piece  On the play Ard sent a long throw to Emmons who volleyed the ball from one side of his body to the other and struck a shot into the goal from 16 yards out.

But in a heartbreaker for Bainbridge, a Veterans Forward got free on a corner kick, with 41 seconds left, and headed a pass in for the winning score  to help the Warhawks escape with a 4-3 victory.

Going into last nights game the Bearcats had an overall record of 7-4 on the season and 2-3 in Region play.