Murray entered Tuesday’s Class 2A Sectional semifinals as the heavy favorite to advance past Trigg County, but the Wildcats had other ideas.
Murray used a first-half goal and overcame a top-notch effort from Wildcat goalie Cam McCormick to grab the 1-0 win. The Tigers will play crosstown rival Calloway County in Thursday’s championship. The Lakers defeated Hopkins County Central 3-1 in Tuesday’s other semifinal.
The Tigers entered Tuesday’s match ranked No. 7 in the state by MaxPreps with a 4-0-1 record, and they played the part early as they controlled possession in the first 20 minutes with the ball rarely advancing past midfield.
Murray’s Kellen Crouch had the first real chance to dent the scoreboard midway through the first half, but his shot missed wide left.
The Tigers outshot Trigg 14-0 in the first half, with Cam McCormick and the Wildcat defense doing their best to keep Murray off the scoreboard. McCormick made eight saves in the first half and 22 for the match, several at point-blank range.
With 13 minutes left in the first half, Crouch took a throw-in deep in Murray territory from the side and headed it into the box, where Brodie Morris used his left foot to smack the ball past McCormick for what proved to be the game’s only goal.
Trigg’s first shot of the match came in the 67th minute, and their best shot at finding the net came on a direct kick from the top of the box with seven minutes left. Murray goalie Hank Fronza saved a low shot from Nate Kelly that kept the match at 1-0.
Murray was able to thwart any other Wildcat attempts to mount a chance to tie the match.
Despite the valiant defensive effort, the Wildcats fell to 2-3 and remained winless against Murray since 2015. All three of Trigg’s 2025 losses have been by 1-0 scores.
The Tigers (5-0-1) and Calloway County (4-2-1) will meet for the 2A Sectional championship on Thursday at Trigg County’s Josh Nichols Field.
