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PAGE 4B
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2017
Soccer photos
GETTING THE BALL AWAY
Jefferson’s Liz Quilliams kicks the ball down field
over a LaGrange player in the Lady Dragons’ victo
ry in the Class AAAA quarterfinals. Jefferson won
in PKs 3-2.
MAKING A TOUGH STOP
Jefferson goalkeeper Sophia LaMar collides with a LaGrange player while scooping up the ball in the
Lady Dragons’ win in the Class AAAA quarterfinals.
READY TO PLAY
The Jefferson girls’ soccer team huddles before its
state quarterfinals matchup with LaGrange.
UNBRIDLED JOY
Members of the Jefferson girls’ soccer team rush to celebrate with Maryanne Kilgore on Friday after Kilgore knocked through the winning PK in the Lady
Dragons’ win over LaGrange to advance to the Class AAAA Final Four. Photos by Ben Munro
Jefferson 1, LaGrange 0 (3-2 PKs)
PK victory sends Jefferson to Final Four
By Ben Munro
Jefferson coach Molly McCarty had a feel
ing it would come down to this at some point.
The first-year coach had her team practice
penalty kicks at least once a week throughout
the season, banking on the possibility that
it would pay off at a crucial moment. That
moment came Friday.
Senior captain Maryanne Kilgore knocked
through the decisive PK as Jefferson downed
LaGrange 3-2 in PKs on the road in a hos
tile environment in the state quarterfinals to
advance to the Class AAAA Final Four.
“I knew it was not going to be easy,” said
McCarty, who had her team practice in a
downpour on Thursday. ‘These girls met the
challenge. I keep telling the girls, ‘One more,
one more.’”
Following 90 scoreless minutes (including
two overtime periods), the Lady Dragons
stood tied 2-2 during PKs with LaGrange
after Valerie LaDue and Sommie Nixon each
converted attempts. Kilgore ended the stand
off by stepping up and driving the ball to the
right of the goalkeeper into the back of the
net. That set off a massive celebration among
the Lady Dragon team, which mobbed Kil
gore on the Callaway Stadium artificial turf.
“Of course, I was nervous,” Kilgore said.
“We’d been practicing (PKs) almost every
day after practice, so coach McCarty is doing
a great job preparing us. But I knew it was
something I had to do for my team, and I was
glad I was able to come through and get us
the win.”
Kilgore said her game-winning
PK was “just a hard pass to the goal.”
“It’s nothing crazy,” Kilgore said. “No hard
shot. It’s just all about accuracy.”
McCarty noted that LaGrange fans were
permitted to stand off in the background
behind the goal during PKs. The coach said
that’s not supposed to be allowed.
“Our girls had to hear ‘you’re not going
to make it, you’re not going to make it’ and.
hey, they met the pressure,” she said. “What a
sweet victory for them.”
Meanwhile, Jefferson goalkeeper Sophia
LaMar produced yet another shutout during
90 minutes in the net and came up with two
saves during the PK period to help secure the
victory. LaMar, who has recorded a record
11 shutouts this year, explained her thought
process in those crucial moments.
“I had to breathe, and I wanted to do it for
my team and to shut the loudmouths up,”
she said, referring to the LaGrange student
section, “and just to make history one more
time.”
McCarty praised her junior goalkeeper for
her poise in a pressure-packed situation.
“What a heck of an effort of being on her
game and on her line,” McCarty said. “And
ultimately that comes down to the keeper.
“All season I’ve been telling her, ‘Remember,
we had to play 90 minutes before it got to you
for this.’ She held it so well.”
The Lady Dragons, who championed
the hashtag #roadwarriors on social media,
advanced to the Final Four by winning on the
road in the first three rounds. A large turnout
from a vocal LaGrange student section added
to the intensity of the quarterfinals match.
“It was so intense,” Kilgore said. ‘We had
to keep reminding ourselves not to let the
crowd get into our head because soccer
doesn’t always have the biggest crowds. It
was cool to see that a high school was able
to get that many people out. But I wish it
was on our side. But it was definitely dif
ferent.”
McCarty said this was a program-wide
win.
“What an incredible effort - again fresh
men, sophomores, juniors and seniors, all
the people from the bench,” McCarty said.
“Everybody participated in this tonight, par
ents included. What an amazing night.”
Jefferson players reveled in the moment
on Friday.
“It feels amazing,” LaMar said. “I never
would have thought when I started soccer
that this would happen. I don’t even have
words for it. I love it so much.”
Kilgore called the team’s run “incredible.”
“I am so proud of these girls.” she said.
“We have worked our tails off. We’ve been
in the weight room since this time last year.
So we’ve been hitting the weights and every
thing. We’ve been preparing for this.”