Hixson soccer coach Jeff Dean might not be able to say his team got all the bounces in its crucial District 6-A/AA matchup against Red Bank on Thursday, but the Wildcats got the one that mattered.
Sikhou Sy scored a goal midway through the second half, and the seventh-ranked Wildcats held on to defeat the Lions 1-0.
The win pushed Hixson (11-1-1) to 4-0-1 in 6-A/AA, just ahead of East Hamilton, which is 4-1-1. Red Bank is 3-2-1 in the district.
“We really needed this game,” Dean said. “We had to have it for the district standings — it’s so close. We still have two district games left and it’s still up for grabs, but we’re going to play for first.”
The Wildcats still have a makeup game against Brainerd before facing East Hamilton. Red Bank has only Brainerd remaining in district play.
Possession never really favored either side, as the teams played evenly. Early in the second half, the goalkeepers — Steven Beaulieu of Hixson and Andy Ramirez of Red Bank — were the most dominant players. Each was challenged in the box numerous times but came up with big saves.
Red Bank had two shots that nearly crossed the goal line before being gobbled up by Beaulieu, while Ramirez — in his first year at keeper — showed his athleticism with eight key saves, including punching a Nau Alvarez shot over the crossbar while falling on his back.
Hixson finally got on the board in the second half when Alvarez sent a pass to Sy, who stopped the ball while falling down, turned and fired off a shot. His first two efforts were blocked, but his third try got past Ramirez to give the Wildcats the lead.
“That was just great hustle on his part,” Dean said.
Red Bank coach Wade Ilvento was pleased with the way his Lions competed.
“It’s just such a tough loss when we played as well as we did,” he said. “I think we possessed the ball equal amounts; it was just an unfortunate bounce that didn’t go our way.”