CALEDONIA — Caledonia High School soccer fans got their money’s worth Friday night: Two games went into extra time, both of the home teams won, and both clinched MHSAA Class 4A, Region 2 championships.
Roughly two hours after Kerry Ann Reed scored the winning goal in extra time for the Caledonia girls in a 2-1 victory over Itawamba Agricultural, Ethan Rollins did the same thing for the boys, setting off a wild celebration at Caledonia’s soccer field.
“This is so exciting,” Rollins said. “Winning a district championship is a dream come true. Last time we did it was when I was in ninth grade. Winning senior year is amazing.”
The Cavaliers (12-4-1, 7-0 4A-2) played an interesting game during regulation, scoring during a first half in which neither team created many quality chances and then not scoring during the second half when they dominated play and sent the ball into the box time after time.
“Teams try to press us really hard, and as that fatigue starts to wear on throughout the game — I tell the boys all the time, you can’t press for 80 minutes. It’s impossible.. —– and teams do start to get a little tired, I think more space starts to open up.”
But it was the Indians who scored the only goal of the second half, getting the equalizer during the 45th minute on a ball Cavaliers senior keeper Carson Elliott had no chance to stop.
The Cavaliers had taken the lead late in the first half, when Rollins got credit for a goal in the 37th minute.
“It was really an own goal,” Rollins said. “I kind of flipped it behind me, and it just hit off the other guy and went in.”
However it happened, the teams were knotted at 1-1 after 80 minutes.
“We were very confident,” said Aiden Farmer, a senior captain. “We were the better team in the second half, the whole game actually, and they were just tired. And with our work ethic … In overtime we just worked way more than they did.”
The Cavaliers had a couple of chances during the first extra period, although neither shot went on goal. Then, midway through the second extra period, Itawamba was called for a hand ball just outside the box. After clarifying whether the free kick was direct or indirect, Rollins lined up from 18 yards out.
He sent a low line drive on goal, which deflected off of the keeper’s fingers and into the net.
“After regulation, Coach told us to keep our head up, it’s going to come,” Rollins said. “And it did.”
“The boys kept pushing for a goal and they got it, and it was fantastic,” Blake said.
Blake said the two wins were practically mirror images of each other.
“It was very similar to the boys game,” he said. “Very competitive game, and we knew that going in. The only team they’ve lost to in the division is us.”
Very competitive can be a nice way of saying very physical. The girls game was very chippy, but the boys game was clean but almost brutal at times. Three players went down on one play, and later in the game a player took a ball off of his face from close range.
“Some people don’t quite understand the physicality of soccer,” Blake said. “It’s an extremely physical sport. Your body can take a beating.”
Because there is certainty at the top of 4A-4, the Cavaliers boys already know their first-round playoff opponent. Second-place West Lauderdale will make the trip to Caledonia to open the postseason at 6 p.m. Jan. 25.
But the Cavaliers can take a bit of time to savor what thus far has been an undefeated region season and the dramatic way in which they wrapped up the title.
“We worked extremely hard during the offseason, more than any other team I believe, and it shows, like it did tonight,” Rollins said.
“I’m proud of my boys, and I’m glad we did what we did,” Farmer said. “We just had to keep pushing and believe in ourselves.
“I tell my guys I believe in them before every game and at practice every day. I love my guys, and they believe in themselves, too. And that’s how you need to think.”
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