With Khayla Owens back on the soccer pitch after Veterans High’s most successful basketball season, it was Breanna Gomez scoring two goals including the game-winner of a 3-2 final for the Lady Warhawks over county rival Houston County High at home Wednesday.
Owens’ presence had plenty to do with Gomez’ chance to punch home the go-ahead point at 31:36 in the second half. The match was tied 2-2 at halftime, and Owens was used off the bench by first-year head coach Haley Walker.
The Lady Warhawks had to first contend with the scoring prowess of Lady Bear striker Jessica Do. After scoring one of the two Houston goals in the opening half, Do played an active part in Houston County chances early in the second. She was unable to get to a crossing pass from Elizabeth Upchurch, but later, as Do charged the net down the sideline, Veterans freshman goalkeeper Victoria Moore dove for the save.
One of Veterans’ other major advantages is the free kicking leg of Jada Foor from the backline. She was about 60 yards away on an early strike, and it took good concentration from HC keeper Brooke Neville in order to make the catch.
And then there was Owens, who at the 33-minute mark rushed the ball between two defenders only to be called for a push-off. On the eventual scoring play, Jasmine Westbrook of Houston got in Owens’ way. There on the left wing to take the ball was Gomez, who angled her shot just right to catch the net’s corner.
Not soon after giving her team the lead, Gomez charged down the left side reaching the corner. She passed on a straight line, but Owens missed the net.
At 19:10, Veterans defender Sarah Lucas broke up Deja Wilson’s shot off a Do pass. Both Do and Brittany Fiveash made Houston’s best attacks over the next seven minutes.
Taking over in the Lady Bear box was Marissa Molnar, who saved an Owens shot when she beat two defenders at the nine-minute mark. Molnar also played Katie Luque’s shot well at 5:25 and caught a corner kick (2:30) when Georgia Bostic defended well against Owens.
Gomez’ first goal occurred in the match’s onset. She made a steal right away but could not find a shot on goal. It was when Erin Aler took the ball at midfield and rushed down the middle to pull Houston’s keeper to the top of the box that Gomez received her short pass and connected on the open net.
Lucas, at the 37-minute mark, broke up give and go action between Do and Wilson. Westbrook stole the ball, as did Wilson in the box. Though the Lady Bears couldn’t maintain possession on these takeaways, they battled even enough to give Do a chance for the leveling goal from an onside lead pass at 29:13.
It was at the 26-minute mark that Owens checked into the fray. Momentum swung towards the Lady Warhawks with a steal from Taylor Craig and Mahalia Laguines’ crossing attempt saved by Neville. Down to the 22-minute mark, Foor smashed a ball giving Savannah Smith a head chance saved by Houston.
The Lady Bears knew they needed to surround Owens, and that’s how they handled her first touch at 19 minutes. That brought the first pushing foul on the Lady Warhawk senior.
Do, about four minutes later, put forth a shot hit upwards by Moore and cleared away by Craig. Foor, at 9:30, sent a 50-yard free kick that bounced in front of Neville, but it was played out for a Lady Warhawk corner. Craig sent the ball in from right to left, and Owens headed it home for 2-1.
Neville, at 6:15, saved Laguines’ shot off an Owens pass. Action went the opposite direction, where Wilson notched the tying goal taking a lead pass in the box – with Do by her side.
For the 2015 season, Veterans girls soccer has yet to taste defeat in seven matches. There are two scoreless draws on the record, both on the road and both to Class 6A schools in Lowndes and Tift County. The two goals Houston County (2-5) scored Wednesday raised the amount allowed by the Lady Warhawks – No. 6 in Class 4A – so far to three.
ROLLING BEARS
Steven Moore and the Houston County boys soccer team is on a roll. Moore, with four goals, turned an anticipated encounter with Veterans High Wednesday into a rout 7-0 (the match not lasting two full halves due to weather).
The Class 5A No. 2 Bears improved to 8-0. The record includes a 4-3 victory against 7-1 Columbus High, 5-4 against Stratford, and 3-0 revenge over No. 3 McIntosh High on the road on March 6. That’s the McIntosh team with back-to-back state championship wins over Houston County.
On Wednesday, Moore got ahead of the Veterans back line on the dribble to score his first goal at 34:47. Moving forward barely three minutes, Moore did some footwork artistry kicking the ball upwards for his second goal.
The first chance for the Warhawks was on a Dylan Blevins free kick (28:30) saved by Bear keeper Declan Furlough. Elvin Perez of Veterans later hit a ball off Sean Palmer for an easy keeper catch.
When Houston regained ball control, it was breakaway time. Esteban Morales drew a foul in the box, and Moore set up for the penalty kick and goal No. 3 at 26:50.
As the half slipped under that 26-minute mark, Joey Barrick set up a Bear corner kick. Morales went to the ground to take a head shot upping that lead to 4-0.
Furlough fell on a save at 21:50, and his Warhawk counterpart Alex Mozingo stopped the next two shots, one being a Morales free kick. Veterans defenders Jacob Elliott, Kyle Jorgenson and Garrett Roff helped keep the Bears off the board at the 13-minute mark.
But the Bears ruled the final 10 minutes with one more penalty kick (foul against Derek Little), Hunter Henry converting on a breakaway and Moore notching his fourth with seven seconds on the clock.
For the Warhawks, it was only the second loss in 2015, the other being at Lowndes 3-1. Matt Roth’s group is 3-0 so far in Region 2-AAAA.
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