There was a time when Will Tym was nearly ready to give up on soccer. Now the Ooltewah junior is part of one of the state’s best defenses.
The 6-foot-3 goalkeeper was celebrated by his teammates in the postgame huddle after Thursday’s 3-0 home win over Cleveland to earn the Region 3-AAA championship and put the Owls on the brink of reaching next week’s Spring Fling state tournament in Murfreesboro.
Tym has been reliable all season, along with a back line made up of seniors Connor Moser and Rumen Pollard in the center and Jaxson Antuna on the left and sophomore Alex Bruner on the right. Outside of a midseason 3-2 loss to Cleveland, the Owls (15-1) have allowed six goals this year.
The next test for Ooltewah and its standout defense is Saturday’s home sectional against Columbia Central (16-3-1) with a state berth on the line.
“Our backs have been unbelievable. They are as solid of a unit that you can have,” Owls coach Rick Adolph said. “I preach to them defense wins championships. We have been scoring our goals for sure, but we get those opportunities because we are so solid in the back. And Will has been phenomenal in goal. He has a great attitude, work ethic, and is such a positive person.”
Cleveland (11-7-3) plays at Murfreesboro’s Oakland (17-0-3) on Saturday in its bid to reach the AAA state quarterfinals.
Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Ooltewah senior Braeden Haynes, left, has scored 24 goals this season, including two in a 3-0 win against Cleveland on Thursday.An intense afternoon matchup between the Blue Raiders and the Owls was scoreless for the first 60 minutes until junior Josh Pectol lifted a free kick from the left sideline outside the right goal post, where senior standout Braeden Haynes was fouled in the air to earn a penalty kick. Connor Moser made the most of the opportunity as he rolled his 14th goal of the season – and the only one the Owls would need Thursday – into the right side of the net.
While Haynes had been held in check for most of the match, Moser’s goal fired up his fellow captain, who a minute after broke free down the left sideline and blasted a left-footed shot from a tough angle under the keeper at the far left post to make it 2-0.
“I was gassed. I was so tired, but as soon as Connor scored, I got that extra bit of energy to push forward and close out the region title,” Haynes said. “I can’t say enough about our defense, either. Will has put in the work and really cares about this team, which has made a big difference. Our back line has been great all season. Rumen and Connor are unbelievable center backs. They both play for the Red Wolves (youth academy team) and have been partners for years back there.”
In the 68th minute, Jack Pectol, Josh’s twin, teamed up for a 1-2 back-and-forth attack with Haynes, who got behind the Blue Raiders and fired a shot off the bottom of the crossbar and in for his second goal of the game and 24th of the season. Six minutes later, Tym preserved the shutout with a leaping save on a shot destined for the upper left corner.
“If we put our minds to it and keep working hard together, I think we can go all the way,” Haynes said hours before Ooltewah High School’s graduation ceremony. “If we play like we know how to play, we certainly have a shot to win a state championship. We have a lot of weapons and have great coaches, too.”
Staff photo by Troy Stolt / Red Bank’s Owen Tate, left, and Henry Varner celebrate after the Lions beat host Howard 2-1 to win the Region 4-AA soccer championship on Thursday.3 takeaways from Thursday:
Dramatic turnaround
After splitting the first two games, Silverdale Baptist needed 10 innings to win the series-deciding game 11-10 over Goodpasture to advance to next week’s Division II-A Spring Fling final four. Goodpasture had rallied from being down 6-1 to tie the game with a three-run home run in the seventh. Three innings later, senior Skylar Sheridan’s double to the center-field fence scored Bentlee Stiner, who had also doubled, with the winning run for the Lady Seahawks (24-10).
Silverdale’s Addison Keef had four hits and kept her team’s hopes alive in the ninth when her hustle down the line forced a two-out error by the shortstop and allowed Bree Sexton to score. Sexton went 3-for-3 with a home run and walked twice, and Kennedy Stinson also had three hits as the Lady Seahawks totaled 18. Katie Willoughby labored through 173 pitches and struck out 10 batters in a complete game.
Collision course, again
Baylor and GPS have met in the past six softball state championship games – with Baylor winning five straight – and those two programs appear to be on another collision course next week.
GPS punched its ticket to the Spring Fling on Thursday by sweeping its series with Pope John Paul II 14-0 and 9-0, and Baylor is heavily favored in its series against Briarcrest, which opens with a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Friday.
Maddie Grace Hubbard had six hits and as many RBIs for the Bruisers on Thursday. Chapel Cunningham drove in five runs, Kennedy Moody had three doubles, and Mikayla Beard and Isabella Jenkins combined to toss 12 shutout innings. Ansley Blevins hit two doubles and a triple in the first game.
Red Bank rally
After dropping its two previous meetings with Howard this season, including in last week’s District 8 championship, Red Bank pulled out a 2-1 win Thursday to earn the Region 3-AA boys’ soccer title. Josiah Tillett and Darieun Ross scored in the 32nd and 35th minutes, respectively, and coach Wade Il Vento’s team made its lead hold up the rest of the way on the road. Howard had scored in the first minute on a goal by Amos Vyizigiro.
Staff photo by Troy Stolt / Read Bank boys’ soccer coach Wade M. II Vento encourages his team during halftime of Thursday’s Region 4-AA championship game at Howard. Red Bank, down 1-0 after the first minute, rallied to win 2-1.Thursday’s prep scoreboard
BASEBALL
Division II-AA quarterfinal series
Game 1: Lipscomb Academy 2, McCallie 1
SOCCER
Region 3-AAA championship
Ooltewah 3, Cleveland 0
Region 4-AA championship
Red Bank 2, Howard 1
SOFTBALL
Division II-A quarterfinal series
Game 3: Silverdale Baptist 11, Goodpasture 10
Division II-AA quarterfinal series
GPS 14-9, Pope John Paul II 0-0
Chattanooga Christian 6-4, Brentwood Academy 5-7
Friday’s prep schedule
BASEBALL
Class A sectional
Eagleville at South Pittsburg, 7
Class AA sectionals
Hixson at Watertown
DeKalb County at Signal Mountain, 6:30
Class AAA sectionals
Stewarts Creek at McMinn County
Bradley Central at Siegel
Division II-AA quarterfinal series
Game 2: McCallie at Lipscomb Academy
GHSA finals
Class A public
Gordon Lee vs. Metter at Savannah (DH), 5
SOCCER
Division II-AA state quarterfinals
Chattanooga Christian at Baylor, 6
SOFTBALL
Class AA sectional
Meigs County at Sequatchie County, 6
Class AAA sectional
Coffee County at Soddy-Daisy, 7
Division II-AA state quarterfinal series
Briarcrest at Baylor (DH), 3
Game 3: Chattanooga Christian at Brentwood Academy
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.