After 90 minutes playing soccer, Benjamin Russell and Stanhope Elmore couldn’t decide who was the winner as they fought to a 3-3 tie.
The game didn’t start out that way as the homestanding Mustangs put up three quick goals, two by Thomas Richardson and one by Edward Flores in the first 20 minutes. Ben Russell responded with a goal by Caden Bowen with 15 minutes to go.
The visiting Wildcats would get goals from Kevin Andrade and Drew Daughtry.
The tie left the Mustangs with a sour taste in their mouths as they celebrated 14 seniors before the game. The team has also been playing stiff competition all year facing many ranked opponents.
“It was a great first senior night in the 17 Springs stadium for our players,” Mustangs soccer coach Richie Beyer said. “Even though the game didn’t turn out like we had hoped, it was great to honor our class of outstanding student athletes who have continued to build the legacy of SE soccer.”
The game featured Stanhope Elmore playing mostly mid-field and forward for the first part of the first half. Then the Wildcats lengthened the field.
By the end, Stanhope Elmore was pushing the ball up hoping to get someone in the box kicking a rebound into the net. Even in the final seconds, the Mustangs stood a chance to break the tie.
But the tie was celebrated by the Wildcats as the final seconds ticked down.
“It's fun when the kids do what they know they can do and they pull something like that out of their back pocket to win a game,” BRHS coach Lee Wagoner said. “They could have easily put their heads down and gone home early.”
It’s a lesson Wagoner hopes his team will take going forward into the rest of the season.
“They learn they have a little bit more of a backbone,” Wagoner said. “They will make it count when it matters.”
