HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

Athenians drop girls match, boys continue to win

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Soccer Night at Crawfordsville was happy and sad for the local fans as the Athenians girls dropped a non-conference match to South Vermillion 1-0, while the boys maintain their first-place grip on the Sagamore Conference with a 3-1 victory over Lebanon.

GIRLS LOSE A CLOSE ONE

Crawfordsville’s girls had a goal at the 18:00 mark of the first half, but it was waved off by an offside call.

It turned out to be the only time the net was moved by the home team, as they drop to 1-5 with the 1-0 loss.

“We played hard, we got a lot of chances and shots, but we couldn’t get one in,” C’ville coach Alex Ehrlich said. “It’s sure frustrating.”

A well-earned goal by the Wildcats with 29:15 left in the match turned out to be the only score of the game, but it was enough, as SV wins their first match of the season to move to 1-4.

It was a corner kick perfectly placed by Torie Williams and headed in by Natalie Silver that won the match for the visitors.

“We’ve had to juggle lineups and players a lot because of Covid and injuries,” SV coach Kayla Payton said. “The girls have worked hard and it was good for them to get a win.”
The Athenians lived in the offensive zone for the first half and the last 20 minutes of the second, but 10 shots were turned away. Another nine scoring attacks went at the net, but there wasn’t a shot, and a dozen corner kicks tried, but none turned into a goal.

“Our back line was scrappy, we strung together a lot of good passes, but we just couldn’t finish,” Ehrlich noted. “We were a mature team in the first half - now we just have to go finish.”

The Athenians take on Sheridan today and Northview Saturday.

BOYS REMAIN UNBEATEN in SAGAMORE

Ranked 20th in the state coaches poll, the Athenians boys team scored first and last to take the 3-1 win over rival and conference nemesis Lebanon.

Thristan Callejas scored at the 8:02 mark of the first half on great crossing pass from Emmett Bowman.

Bowman would score the third goal at the 19:25 frame of the second half on an assist from Yeison Cifuentes, while Ryotaro Nishina hammered home a rebound off a shot by Joseph Sanchez with 37:00 on the second-half clock.

“The team played great overall,” CHS boss Marcus Hale said of his team, who moves to 9-1-1 overall and 5-0 in the conference. “It was a solid effort by everyone that played in the game.”

The Tigers fall to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the league, as they played their second conference game in two nights, after losing to Tri-West Tuesday. The match with the Athenians had been scheduled for early in the season, but was moved when the Tigers had Covid and injury issues.

Things got a little chippy, as any Tigers vs Athenians action will be. Three yellow cards were issued. “Lebanon is always tough,” Hale noted, “and beating them just helps us continue to get better.”

Hale noted three players efforts.

“Landon Timmons in goal had a great game,” the coach said of the senior, who turned away eight of the nine shots on goal he faced, including a penalty kick, and directed traffic away from nine more scoring attacks. “Marshall Horton played at a high level tonight,” Hale said of the senior, “and Emmett Bowman always brings it.”

The Athenians schedule continues to toughen, as they entertain Northview Saturday, take on West Lafayette Monday and travel to North Montgomery next Wednesday.

The Tigers have their third conference match in three days when they host the Chargers tonight.


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