Crowell leads North past Union: Dugger returns in Maroons' 11-1 win

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

The biggest news during the Madisonville-North Hopkins boys’ soccer team’s 11-1 first round district win over Union County should have been the successful return of senior forward Rush Dugger, but no one told Micah Crowell, who took the spotlight by scoring four goals and notching an assist Monday evening at Donley Field.

Dugger scored the game’s first goal for North (14-3-1), the first of what would be three for the Maroon standout, but Crowell worked the ball throughout to lead all scorers and set a new personal career high against the Braves (4-10-1), doubling his previous single-game best.

“Micah has got in a little bit better conditioning as the years have gone by,” coach John Tichenor said. “I think he’s playing with more confidence and he’s been able, with each passing match, he’s had a knack to find the back of the net and we need that.”

“We need Micah to play that way Wednesday night against Henderson County. We’re going to have to need somebody to put the ball in the back of the net besides Rush or Miles.”

After missing over a week of game action to an injured hamstring, Dugger started and proved his healthy return by scoring the game’s first goal.

Dugger said he’s not quite 100 percent, but finally being able to contribute made him feel good.

“It kind of bothers we when I stride out and sprint, but I just feel it a little bit.” he said. “It doesn’t really bother me that much.

“It felt pretty good knowing that I still got a little bit of something for the rest of the year.”

In addition to his three goals, Dugger collected an assist.

Tichenor, who always looks for ways to improve, said the goal corrected a slow North start to the game.

“I think that first goal really set the tone,” he said. “I guess you could say the rout was on. Early on, we didn’t come out exactly ready. We gave them a couple opportunities that we shouldn’t have, and that’s OK as long as our boys learn from it.”

Crowell said Dugger’s return means a lot to the team’s unity.

“It’s just like you go without your brother for a while,” he said. “Me and him have been playing up front together all year. It’s like my brother is gone and you start connecting with a new person on the team.”

Senior Miles Durham collected the Maroons’ other multi-goal game with two and added three assists also.

With 18:05 to go in the first half, Durham dropped one in to Ethan Rutledge from the right side and Rutledge headed the ball home for a 5-1 advantage.

Robbie Hatchett rounded out the scoring when he scored with 44 seconds left in the half on another Durham assist as North led 10-1 at halftime.

Crowell made his fourth goal and the game’s final when Trevor Gillespie found him in front of the box nine minutes into the second half.

Rounding out the North points, Rutledge also had an assist and Gillespie had two assists.

Communication has been a strength all season for the Maroons, and Crowell said he felt it in effect Monday.

“We really played as a team tonight, I think more than others,” Crowell said. “We just really looked for the open man and went back to playing simple and keeping possession of the ball. We did really well of that tonight and that’s what brought us success.

“Just by looking at the other person’s facial expressions, you can kind of tell what they mean by not even using their mouth. We’ve played so long together, we can read each other.”

It did not help that the Braves defenders were not keeping up with their responsibilities.

“They ball-watched and we made runs behind them and they don’t follow the players,” Dugger said, “That puts us in behind them so we can finish.”

The team’s success, as Crowell said, would not be possible without its defenders.

“They are by far the strongest defense we’ve had behind us, I think in my career, playing for this team,” he said.

Tichenor said he is proud of keeper JD Lester’s progress, but saved most of his praise for co-captain John Arnold.

“I’m real proud of Arnold,” Tichenor said. “His leadership in the back has been solid. He’s got to be the glue in the back.”

With Dugger back and the team playing some of its best soccer all year, Tichenor said he does not have to give his team any further motivation when the Maroons play at 7 p.m. Wednesday against Henderson County.

“Any time we play Henderson, I don’t have to give a rah rah talk,” he said. “That’s our biggest rival, it always has been, even when I started 23 years ago. They’re our rival. We know we’re going to get their best shot and the game will play with a lot of intensity.”