If you plan on attending the 5th-District boys’ soccer final during the first week of October, make sure you’re prepared to spend a little longer at the field than usual.
Both matchups between Trigg County and Lyon County have required overtime, with Tuesday’s tilt needing a penalty kick shootout to settle things between the Wildcats and Lyons.
In the end, just as they did in the first meeting, the Lyons prevailed, surviving a red card and a late Trigg goal to pull out a 3-2 victory.
Trigg County’s Lance Breckel scored inside the game’s first few minutes; unfortunately for the junior defender, it was in his own net.
However, the Wildcats started on the front foot, piling on the pressure on the Lyon goal and coming up empty on a trio of early corner kick opportunities.
With 9:30 left in the opening half, James Garnett had the Wildcats’ best chance when he got behind the Lyons’ defense on a through ball by Peyton Moore. But goalkeeper Jackson Crawford was up to the challenge, racing off his line and stuffing the shot to keep the Lyons in front 1-0 at the break.
Colt Bannister nearly doubled the Lyon County advantage when his free kick cannoned off the crossbar with just five minutes played in the second half. But it was Breckel again putting the ball in the net, this time with a nice volley at the back post off a well-placed corner by Nate Kelly to knot the match at 1-1.
Lyon County’s Grady Walker restored the one-goal edge in the 56th minute when he found space on the end line to the left of the Trigg goal and rolled his shot under Cam McCormick to make it 2-1.
Things got dicey for the Lyons with 15 minutes left when a red card reduced them to ten players, and Trigg went looking for the equalizer. After a scramble in the six-yard box with under two minutes to play, the ball found its way to the left foot of freshman Zander Lily, and he buried his shot in the far side netting to force overtime.
After two scoreless five-minute frames, the match was decided at the PK spot. Peyton Moore led off and converted for Trigg before Lyon’s Devon Guess saw his effort saved by McCormick.
Reeves rolled his shot to Crawford, and Walker gave the Lyons the upper hand with a successful attempt. Kelly’s shot bounced off the crossbar for Trigg, and Kamden Garrie was on target to provide Lyon with a 3-1 edge.
Kyle Choate found the back of the net for the Wildcats before Kveon Cain did the same for the Lyons. With Trigg needing to score to extend the shootout, Garnett’s shot was saved by Crawford to set off the Lyon celebration.
Trigg slipped to 1-7-1 with its third-straight defeat ahead of a visit from Webster County on Thursday.
The Lyons snapped a three-game skid with their third win of the season and will be back in action on Saturday at the Christian County Colonel Showcase.
