It’s no secret that Hopkins County Central has its soccer match with Madisonville-North Hopkins circled on its schedule every year. For the first time since 2003, the Lady Storm can add a second circle of victory on last night’s date.
Hopkins County Central defeated the defending region champs 3-0 on Tuesday night at Donley Field.
Lilly Armour scored a first-half goal, and Emma Vandiver added two more in the second half to complement the Lady Storm defense, who got the clean sheet.
It was the start that Hopkins County Central coach Ben Lutz was looking for and expecting.
“I just told them to play our game. We’ve been getting shots and creating chances for each other. Just keep on doing that and making sure we have options for each other, communicating and stuff like that,” Lutz said.
Armour’s goal came with 13:31 left in the first half when she made a move out front and banged home a left-footed shot from 35 feet out to break the ice.
The Lady Storm kept up the pressure in the half, but Madisonville found some footing after Armour’s goal.
The Lady Maroons appeared on track to tie the match when Lady Storm goalie S.J. Barnett knocked away freshman Aletheia Golightly’s open shot. Coraline Knight’s follow just missed wide, and the teams went into halftime with the scoreboard still showing 1-0.
Madisonville (4-3) missed on several chances in the second half, failing to convert on four corner kicks and three free kicks from the top of the box after Lady Storm fouls. Madisonville held an 11-4 shot advantage in the second half but couldn’t break through.
“We’ve got to have somebody that can step up and put the ball in the net. We have players that can score, but we need that one person that we can lean on to finish,” said Madisonville coach John Tichenor.
With 26:40 left in the match, Hopkins Central tacked on a goal when Vandiver followed a Destiny Caudill free kick from the top of the box with the rebound goal.
Vandiver would add her second goal with 9:46 left in the same fashion, rebounding a missed shot from Gracie Patterson in front and knocking it home, giving the Lady Storm a 3-0 lead, and Lutz a little sigh of relief.
“I definitely was nervous at 1-0, but then we got the second one, and when the third one finally went in, you kind of get a weight lifted off your shoulder,” he said.
The win was Hopkins County Central’s first over Madisonville since 2003 and the fifth ever since their program began in 1996. The Lady Storm improved to 5-1-1 and will play in Tennessee this weekend. They also control their own destiny in the 7th District seeding for the postseason.
Tichenor’s roster is built for the future with just one senior, but the veteran coach is intent on playing for the present, which continues Thursday with another district match at Caldwell County.
“Our core is our junior class. They were starters last year along with those good seniors we lost,” he said. “ We have some freshmen that are just trying to grow up, and they are learning.”
