Wednesday, September 10, 2008
MORTONS GAP — Four days after nailing the game-tying field goal to send Madisonville-North Hopkins into overtime against Hopkins County Central, Maroon Rush Dugger scored three goals and had an assist in a 10-0 soccer victory over the Storm on Tuesday evening.
Dugger and the North offense established the tone early by scoring within the first two minutes of play and led 7-0 at halftime as the game was called short nine minutes into the second half despite a great effort from Central.
“In the first half, they didn’t really pressure as much as they did in the second, so that gave me a lot of time to play good balls to other players and put them in position to score,” Dugger said.
North coach John Tichenor charted Maroon turnovers in addition to his normal statistics as he watched from the sidelines.
“Our focus was to value possession of the ball,” he said. “When we gained possession we tried to connect three or four passes.”
By using the team’s speed and making clean, direct passes the Maroons succeeded in getting seven different players involved with the scoring.
Behind Dugger, Miles Durham had two goals and three assists. Ethan Rutledge also had two goals and an assist. Others with single goals included Micah Crowell, Trevor Gillespie and Robbie Hatchett while David McCann had an assist.
Dugger and Durham typically account for the majority of North’s scores, and after the game Dugger said he valued knowing his fellow teammates can score if he is being defended well.
“It makes me feel a lot better knowing other people can score,” he said. “It takes a lot of pressure off when it comes to big games.”
Despite the offensive surge, Tichenor did not want to forget the defense’s role in the win.
“I was really impressed with the few opportunities (Central) did have, how we closed on them,” he said. “John Arnold in the back, he’s a leader back there. Logan Whitfield, he’s our best man marker and Austin Walker and Maartin Adams, I thought those guys did well. A lot of our attacks started from the back.”
North outshot Central 32 to two, and Storm co-coach David Starks said he and his players tipped their hats to the talented Maroons.
“Madisonville-North is a good team,” Starks said. “They play well together and pass the ball well. The big thing our boys commented on was how well they communicate, and that’s something we’ve been trying to work on with our kids and in a sense it was learning curve for our guys.”
Despite giving up 10 shots, the Storm collected seven saves on the night.
Although Central lost, Starks said the team will take a lot of positive things from the game and try to incorporate some aspects of North’s play, which allowed them to be so successful.
“They were trying hard, and I’m proud of the boys,” Starks said. “A lot of the times you can’t look at the scoreboard.”
I think we can learn a lot from this game.”
With the win, North improves to 4-0-2 on the season while Central is still looking for its first win of the season at 0-6-0.
In junior varsity action North defeated Central 3-0. North’s Ethan Crowell scored twice and Jake Hutchens added the Maroons’ other goal.
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