McMINN CENTRAL 2, BOYD-BUCHANAN 0Halftime score: 2-0. Goals: Sydney Miller, Ashton Robinson. Assist: Cayci Coleman. Shots on goal: McMinn Central, 10-5. Saves: Anna Beasley 5 (BB); Taylor Young 2 (MC). Records: McMinn Central 6-3-2, 4-0 5-A/AA; Boyd-Buchanan 8-4, 2-1.
McMinn Central soccer coach Bill McConkey isn't exactly sure how many regular-season district championships his Chargerettes have won. Whatever the number might be, he can most assuredly add one more to that total.
In a clash of the two District 5-A/AA undefeated teams Thursday evening, the visitors scored two first-half goals on shots from distance and went on to defeat 10th-ranked Boyd-Buchanan 2-0 in a weather-shortened game.
There were four lightning delays, totaling an hour. The first started around 8:15 and the second occurred right as the players had returned to the field to resume play around 8:45. The game was finally called at 9:15 with about 19 minutes of game time remaining, much to the dismay of Lady Bucs coach Dustin Walker.
"It is disappointing, but in the end there really wasn't anything we could do about it," said Walker, who initially refused to call an end to it.
The sporadic rains that pelted Boyd-Buchanan's field during the day caused for a messy game at points. Included in that was a breakaway by the Lady Bucs' Allana Barnes that was stopped when the ball came to a halt in a puddle.
The Chargerettes (6-3-2, 4-0) scored 25 minutes into the contest, when Sydney Miller fired a shot from outside of the 18 that sailed over the head of keeper Anna Beasley. Five minutes later, Ashton Robinson scored when the Lady Bucs were unable to clear the ball on a McMinn Central corner kick.
Beasley was credited with five saves in the loss for Boyd-Buchanan (8-4, 2-1), which can claim a share of the title with wins in its final three district games.
"I'm just disappointed in the way we came out and played tonight," Walker said. "McMinn Central is a physical, tough team, and if you don't match their intensity, it's going to be tough to beat them."
McMinn Central has to defeat Grace Academy and Polk County to win outright.
"I thought we had a good effort tonight," McConkey said. "We've worked on putting some passes together in practice. We don't want to always rely on scores from distance; we'll take it, but we'd like to possess a little better and get closer. We have shown that we will share, and that's what wins championships."