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SYNC Night @ Travs' Game
SYNC sponsored the Arkansas Travelers baseball game Wednesday, July 25
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Spring Fling 2015 live coverage
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - In hindsight, it might have been the unattainable mission.
McCallie found itself down a man down midway through the second half of Wednesday's Division II-AA state semifinal against Montgomery Bell Academy at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex. The score was tied at 2 when senior defender Michael Chirumbole was given a red card and automatically ejected, leaving the Blue Tornado with 10 players on the field.
But they stretched the match into overtime and were two minutes from a shootout when MBA's Andrew Conwell dribbled down the field, cut to his left and fired a shot past McCallie keeper Emerson Brock for the game-winning goal, sending the Big Red to tonight's championship match against Christian Brothers, which defeated Baylor 2-1.
It's the Blue Tornado's first loss of the season, and after the stunning goal, McCallie players lay on the field, dejected and unable to process what had happened.
"We felt things didn't go our way today," coach Chris Cushenbery said. "After we lost Michael, they had nothing until that moment. It was a great individual run, but it shows a lot about the character of our guys that we had chances down a man. We had guys come off the bench and provide energy."
McCallie (16-1-1) led 1-0 after Drew Viscomi scored in the second minute of the match, but MBA (12-1-4) responded late in the half, scoring two goals in the final five minutes. Will Emerson scored in the 37th minute, and there was a controversial goal by Luke Bernatavitz when Brock initially had his hands on the ball.
McCallie rallied in the second half, tying on a goal by Marshall Martin 11 minutes in. The Blue Tornado had two excellent opportunities right in front of the goal prior to Conwell's game-winner.
"Today was two great teams going at it," MBA coach Giles Cheevers said. "The problem is that when you have two great teams play, there's always a loser."
Cheevers chastised the TSSAA, saying winning teams "need an extra day of recovery between state tournament matches."
That's a problem McCallie wishes it had. The program will lose six seniors from a team that advanced to state for the first time since 2012. The Blue Tornado were nationally ranked by Maxpreps.com as well as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
"I'll look back incredibly fondly on this team," Cushenbery said. "We've created a culture of hard work here. I felt we could come in and do something special. We faced setbacks, battled through them and showed a lot of heart.
"It was our goal to win state; we just fell short."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.
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Concert for "Safe Places"
a concert to benefit "Safe Places" was held at the Governor's Mansion Grand Hall Tuesday night.