Canes Soccer Clenches Win With Penalty Kick

By ASHLEY CLEGG

The varsity Hurricanes boys soccer team claimed two wins last week including the home opener against Hart County and then again hosting the Jones County Greyhounds.

The Canes hit the field last Tuesday for their match against the Hart County Bulldogs, who made the two hour trek south, with the Canes determined to seal a win at home for their home opener. In the past two years, the Canes fell short to Hart, with last year’s score being 5-3.

The Bulldogs came out quick and scored a goal against the Canes in the fourth minute of the first half, causing the Canes to make quick adjustments to ensure a counter was on the way.

Coming into the half with a score of 1-0, the Canes made a formation change that they are all too familiar running, and it proved successful. They scored against the Bulldogs in the first four minutes of the second half thanks to an assist from Lane Lackey to Zion Blake for the goal, to tie the game 1-1.

Neither team scored after that, but since it was a non-region game, they instantly bypassed overtime and went straight to PK’s. The Canes first four shooters, Alex Bautista, Carson Clark, Juan Saldana, and Lane Lackey, all scored their penalty kicks.

Thanks to the Canes’ starting goalie Ricardo Sanchez-Hernandez who saved one, while Hart missed another, the fifth PK never had to be taken by the Canes since Lackey sealed the win with the fourth shot.

Coach Ashley Clegg said, “We felt secure going into PK’s since we had already practiced this and new our shooters going into it. Plus, we knew we had the best keeper out there to seal the deal for us, which he did.”

The Canes recorded a 2-1 win, with the extra point from winning PK’s being added to the final score.

Jones County made a visit last Thursday and the Canes offense showed up, and showed up big claiming a 7-0 victory! The Canes came out quick with a goal from striker Blake, followed by another goal from Bautista. Then one from Andrew Smith off a header from Bautista, and then another goal from Zion, leading them into the locker room at the half with a staggering 4-0 lead against the Greyhounds.

With a quick pep talk from coaches Clegg and Karen Hays, the boys came out strong again in the second half thanks to Brayan Solis who scored not one, not two, but three goals, awarding him what’s referred to in soccer as a “Hat Trick.”

The Canes’ defense was extremely strong and led by Lackey, Chris White, Julio Sanchez, Bryson Jackson, and Luis Ramirez, who allowed very few shots on goal, and kept the game scoreless for the Greyhounds. Sanchez-Hernandez and Parker Eaton, goalies for the Canes, had several saves each, and distributed the ball beautifully up field.

The Canes begin region play this week as they prepare for Putnam on the road and and Social Circle at home on Friday.