John Tichenor has seen a lot of things over a soccer coaching career that has spanned over 500 wins, but Thursday’s region championship will likely rank as one of the most thrilling.
Trailing Henderson County 2-1 with a minute left, Madisonville knocked home the tying goal and Tichenor’s Lady Maroons won in the penalty kick round to claim the region title at Donley Field.
It is Madisonville’s first region championship since 2020, which was also decided by penalty kicks against Henderson County.
After Madisonville’s first PK attempt sailed wide, Lady Maroon goalie Kaytee Parish came up big with a pair of saves on Henderson County’s first two shots.
Kailey Barber and Anna Sampson responded with successful kicks. Henderson County’s Lila Hall scored their first successful attempt to close out the fourth round.
Hannah McKinsey sealed the win with a successful boot to send the Lady Maroons into a celebration and berth in the state tournament.
“The grit and intestinal fortitude the girls put on was amazing. They could have folded up down 2-0 but they kept grinding,” Tichenor said.
Henderson County scored seven minutes into the contest when Taylor Dunn’s corner kick found the noggin of Kacee Butler who scored on the Lady Colonels’ first shot of the contest.
Madisonville appeared to tie the game late in the first half when a direct kick bounced in front of the goal but the line judge ruled the shot never crossed the goal line and instead traveled parallel before going out of bounds.
Lila Hall fed Marley Collins who blasted a shot from 20 yards for a 2-0 Henderson lead five minutes into the second half.
“2-0 leads are dangerous because you relax a little bit and then when the score goes to 2-1, that team gets all of the momentum,” Tichenor said.
Madisonville got on the board with 15:25 left when Madison Hill dribbled to the left side of the Henderson defense and sent a cross that found the feet of sophomore McKinley Wilson who knocked home the shot.
Madisonville outshot Henderson County 8-6 in the second half and 16-11 for the match but couldn’t find an opening wide enough to get straight-on shots.
With 1:01 left, Madisonville was awarded a direct kick following a Henderson foul. Hill sent a direct kick into the box where it bounced off a couple of players before Macy Wright headed the tying shot into the net.
“We went to four forwards in the second half, something we haven’t practiced, and so we kept the pressure on their defense and thought we executed that pretty well tonight,” Tichenor said.
Parish had six saves in the contest, not counting the two she made in the penalty kick round. It was the fifth straight game in which the Lady Maroon defense allowed two or fewer goals.
“Kaytee has come up big for us several times this year and she made some good saves tonight. I’m proud of her but I’m not really surprised. I don’t know where we would be without her,” Tichenor said of his senior goalie.
Henderson County’s Sarah Mackey was equally effective in goal, making 12 saves including several in the final 15-minute drive by the Lady Maroons.
Henderson County’s season ends with a record of 15-7. The Lady Colonel senior class graduates with 64 wins, three region titles, and three wins in the state tournament.
Madisonville (14-6-1) will host Bowling Green (18-2-2) next week at Donley Field, either on Monday or Tuesday. The Lady Purples beat Greenwood 2-0 on Thursday to claim their fourth straight Region Four title.
The Lady Maroons avenged an earlier season one-goal loss to Henderson County with Thursday’s championship win. They will look to do the same against Bowling Green, who beat Madisonville 3-2 on September 17.
Madisonville’s last win over Bowling Green came in the first round of the 2014 state tournament – a contest decided by penalty kicks.
