In addition to a second-place finish for its 12-and-under girls team, Columbus United Soccer Club won two finalist honors at the “Battle for the Square” soccer tournament in Oxford on Oct. 8-9.
The United U14 boys defeated Tupelo Football Club Blue 5-0 and played TFC White to a 2-2 draw on the opening day. The team defeated Oxford 2-1 to earn a trip to the championship match. In the final, United fell 3-2 to Central Arkansas Soccer Club. The team is coached by Dave Albertson and Will Starks.
The United U10 boys earned second place in a five-team bracket played in round-robin format. The team defeated TFC Amory 4-1 before dropping their second match to the Paragould Predators (Arkansas), 4-1. The team was undefeated on Day 2, defeating TFC New Albany 3-1 and DeSoto FC 3-0, with Paragould taking home gold. The team is coached by Gregg Twietmeyer.
MUW men’s soccer falls to Belhaven
After finding itself down by three goals at halftime, the Mississippi University for Women men’s soccer team mounted a second half charge that came up just short in a 4-3 loss at home versus Belhaven University. The Owls fell to 4-7-3 after suffering just their second loss this season at the Lowndes County Soccer Complex, while the Blazers improved to 6-5-5.
The W fell to 0-5 in its series against Belhaven. The loss also snapped MUW’s four-match unbeaten string.
The two clubs were scoreless for the first 24 minutes of the match. But the visiting Blazers cobbled together three scores in eight minutes, striking in the 25th, 26th and 33rd minutes. Belhaven made that stand up going into the halftime locker room.
In the second half, MUW posted a pair of unanswered goals to draw within one. Victor Gomez scored at the 56:57-minute juncture. Then in the 65th minute, it was Joseph Cumberland finding the back of the net on an assist from Graham Rodney.
The Blazers added some insurance — which turned out to be necessary — in the 68th minute to lead, 4-2.
With a little less than 10 minutes left in the match, the Owls again got to within a single goal after Rodney scored off a pass from Kai VanCourt. The W was unable to find the equalizer before time expired.
Belhaven held a 14-9 margin in shot attempts, including 11-4 on frame. MUW goalkeeper David McCutchen had seven saves in all.
The W men will next be in action at home on Friday, hosting Southwestern Adventist University. Kickoff will be at noon.
Golf
Holtzclaw shoots course record at Elm Lake
Mississippi State student Hart Holtzclaw shot a course-record 60 on Oct. 7 at Elm Lake Golf Course.
Holtzclaw, the assistant golf pro at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, is a senior in the PGA golf management program at MSU.
Holtzclaw shot 60 from the blue tees while playing with a friend; he also holds the record for the lowest round from the gold tees with a 64. Member Albert McBrayer has a record round of 62 from the white tees.
Rogowski sinks hole-in-one
Elm Lake saw more good news Saturday as member John Rogowski sank a hole-in-one at the course.
Playing with his friend Jack Martin early Saturday morning, Rogowski (aka “Ski”) aced the third hole.
It wasn’t Rogowski’s first hole-in-one, either; he made his first ace in February 2010.
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