The McCallie soccer team has made a living by winning the close ones.
They don’t get much closer than Thursday night.
Drake Rustand scored the go-ahead goal with less than two minutes to go, and the Division II top-ranked Blue Tornado won their seventh game decided by one goal, defeating Class A/AA third-ranked Boyd-Buchanan 1-0 and spoiling the Buccaneers’ senior night.
“These guys have been through it all, and they don’t stop battling until the very end,” McCallie coach Tony Meyers said.
In a game it dominated at times, McCallie (11-3-3) fired off 16 shots — compared to six for Boyd-Buchanan — and controlled possession, although the Blue Tornado weren’t able to penetrate the tough Bucs defense for a goal until the final moments.
On the winning goal, Arturo Rocha dribbled right before chipping the ball to Garrett Hicks. Hicks was able to touch the ball to Rustand, who got a foot on the ball and knocked the ball through.
“Our attack was very different,” Meyers said. “Boyd does a good job of cluttering the center, so we tried to play everything outside in hopes of getting No. 22 (sweeper Ben Beasley) out because he wins everything.”
Until the goal, the game had been a battle of close calls. McCallie’s Blake Singer and Boyd-Buchanan’s Drew Zumbrun and Hicks had two near goals in the first half.
In the second half, Boyd-Buchanan had two corner kicks that it nearly converted into goals.
“We had a couple of good looks,” Bucs coach Dustin Walker said. “I thought we were going to get one on a set play. There were a few that I thought that if we connected well -we would get.”
Boyd-Buchanan (12-2-1) has a few days to rest before beginning play in the District 5-A/AA tournament. It will host the winner between Silverdale Baptist and Grace Academy o Tuesday at 7.
“This was a good tuneup for the district tournament,” Walker said. “That’s why we put McCallie as the last game of the season.
“I’m proud of the guys for playing with intensity and heart.”