CALEDONIA — Conditions weren’t favorable for anyone at Caledonia on Saturday morning as a wet Friday night made for a slippery playing surface.
Players and referees alike had trouble finding their footing, but it made for quite the competitive matchup between two of the best soccer programs in the region as the Cavaliers hosted Starkville.
A key non-district matchup for both with the end of the season looming provided great opportunities for both teams, and for Caledonia girls soccer, it was an opportunity to improve to 9-1-1 on the season, using a pair of goals from junior Aven Matthews to stomp the Yellow Jackets, 4-1.
“I just took a picture of the goal, shot and finished it,” Matthews said. “… It was such a big win for us. We haven’t beat them in years. Coming out here, playing our game, I think it was really big for our program and this community.”
Matthews got the Cavaliers on the board first in the 27th minute, showcasing her physicality as she fought off a defender to get 1-on-1 with Starkville’s keeper, slotting it comfortably in the back of the net.
Caledonia doubled its lead late in the first half with another chance close to the net, a redirection taken care of by Eden Claire Gentry in the 36th minute, but it was the junior that kept momentum going.
“We’re going to see teams like [Starkville] in the playoffs, so this was a big test for us,” Caledonia head coach Louis Alexander said. “… Day in and day out, [Matthews] means a lot to what we do. Technically speaking, she has all the assets, but she has intangibles too, and that showed.”
Matthews added a second goal in the 64th minute, lofting a shot from more than 25 yards out over Starkville’s keeper, and despite a garbage-time goal from the Jackets (5-7-1) in the 72nd minute, it was all Caledonia.
Saturday’s result was tough for Starkville, but a switch in net in the second half showcased what’s to come with this team.
This season has shown its struggles, but despite an 0-4 district record, four district matches remain to salvage a spot in the postseason.
“[Today] was good for us in planning what next year looks like,” Starkville head coach Rafa Costa said. “… Overall, we can see where our mistakes are and what we can improve on, but you can also see the positives and what to look forward to.”
Starkville boys 1, Caledonia 0
After a five-goal showing in the first match of the day, the boys game fared much differently, a defensive battle that saw Starkville keep much of the control and chances of the match.
Caledonia had a few chances to breakthrough in the match, but it was the Yellow Jackets who really dictated the tempo of the game. However, it took until the 65th minute for the scoreless tie to be broken, but Starkville prevailed, 1-0, thanks to a pretty goal finished off by senior Micah King.
“We started out slow and had to find our footing,” Starkville head coach Evinn Watson said. “Once we found our footing, we started playing better, started keeping possession. With them sitting back, it was tough to penetrate that low block, but eventually, we got one in and started seeing some progress on the field.”
Saturday’s match felt, at times, like much more of a blowout than its eventual 1-0 scoreline, thanks to Starkville (11-3) dominating the pace of play, but Caledonia more than held its own.
The Cavaliers (5-4-2) backline stayed prudent the entire match, fighting off countless Jackets attacks to give itself a chance.
Caledonia had even more of a chance late after a fantastic save following a Starkville penalty, but those efforts came up short.
“Obviously, we wanted to come away with a win, but more importantly, we were looking to put in a good performance against a big side, a quality side,” Caledonia head coach Louis Alexander said. “With that said, I think we were right there with them.”
Starkville is in the driver’s seat to make a deep run in the playoffs, now 11-3 and 3-1 in district play, and a win against a strong local rival on Saturday came at just the right time.
“We always try to schedule a game like this coming off Christmas break,” Watson said. “It’s always good to get this game in to either work on things or get some bad things out of the way before hitting district play again.”
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