CALEDONIA — The postseason plans of the Golden Triangle’s public school soccer teams ended Monday night.
Mississippi High School Activities Association Region 3 runner-up Mooreville built a two-goal lead in the first half and held on for a 3-2 victory against Caledonia in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
In the nightcap, Region 3 runner-up New Albany scored a goal in each half to beat Caledonia 2-0.
The loss ended the seasons of the Caledonia High girls (13-2-2) and the Caledonia High boys (12-4-1), who both claimed Region 3 titles.
Caledonia coach Louis Alexander praised the efforts of the girls team, which loses four seniors, and the boys squad, which loses eight seniors. He said both teams “grinded” to help lay the foundation for future success. Alexander said he saw both teams “buy in” and develop the mind-set that hard work is going to help elevate both programs.
Against Mooreville, Caledonia fell behind 1-0 early and then used a goal on a penalty kick to take a 2-0 halftime lead. The Lady Confederates responded immediately thanks to Lizzie Truelock’s goal off a lead pass and a hard shot off her right foot in the 44th minute. Mooreville made it 3-1 with a little less than 30 minutes remaining before Truelock took a pass from Hallie Kate Brewer, touched it back to her right foot, and blasted a shot into the lower left corner to make it 3-2.
Clara Allen, Jade Hall, and Truelock had other scoring chances in the final 20 minutes.
“The girls team, for the most part, has played two halves,” Alexander said. “I don’t know if it was nerves that kind of got them, but it is almost as if they were hesitant in the first half. In the second half, they kind of woke up. We had some breakdowns here or there and fair play to Mooreville on those breakdowns. They made us pay.”
In the boys match, Max Spencer chipped one over Caledonia’s goalkeeper to give New Albany a 1-0 halftime lead. In the second half, he continued a run to follow a long lead pass off a counterattack. The ball deflected off a defender, which allowed Spencer to collect it and move in on the right wing all alone. He tucked it under the goalkeeper to account for the final margin.
“We had a few quality opportunities,” Alexander said. “At some points, we didn’t get out fast enough, maybe there was that one-two extra touch, whether it be in the midfield or even a winder. A team like that, that one or two extra touches gives them time to recover, so it nullifies our attempt to counter.”
Caledonia had its two best scoring chances in the final 10 minutes on headers by Garrett Bergstrom. Both shots were saved. On the second, Bergstrom made solid contact on the header, which went down. When it was stopped, he stood for a few moments with his hands on his hips as if to say, “What else can I do?”
The New Hope High soccer teams also saw their seasons end. In Pontotoc, the New Hope boys lost to Pontotoc High 4-2. In Amory, the New Hope girls lost to Amory 3-0. Both squads finished second to Caledonia in
MHSAA Class 4A, Region 3 play.
In Class 1A-2A-3A action, Strayhorn defeated the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science 7-1.
Basketball
n Starkville Academy splits: Lillee Alpe had 19 points Monday night to lead the Starkville Academy girls basketball team to a 56-31 victory against Canton Academy on Monday night.
Mary Peyton Passons added 15 points for the Lady Volunteers.
In the boys game, Starkville Academy lost to Canton Academy 60-42. Jawon Yarbrough had nine points and Miller Wilson had eight for the Volunteers.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.