The McCracken County Mustangs secured the First District boys soccer championship Wednesday night after defeating the Marshall County Marshals 3-0. This marks the third time this season that the Mustangs have bested the Marshals as the first year of a new district rivalry has unfolded.
McCracken head coach credits their home field advantage paired with a mostly-healthy roster that the Mustangs haven’t had in several weeks, to their championship victory.
“We helps to be at home,” Wiersema said. “I’m just really proud of these guys. This is the healthiest we’ve been all year. We’re not there yet, but we’re gaining on it.”
A healthy squad meant the Mustangs offense was back up to full speed, with the literal speed of William O’Neill gracing the field once again.
In true district rivalry fashion, tensions right high from the opening kick, leading to a healthy number of yellow cards both ways and a penalty kick going both ways.
That would be how the Mustangs secured their first goal, on a penalty kick courtesy of Dawson Beyer going head-to-head with Carson Lovett. This would be all of the scoring action between the two teams in the opening frame with the goal coming at roughly the 23-minute mark.
The second goal wouldn’t come until nearly the same point in the second half when Jake Hazel found himself staring down the barrel of a breakaway opportunity. A rocket just out of reach of Lovett would make it a 2-0 game, sparking significant momentum for the home team.
“It was very exciting to see a couple of our rocks, our midfielders step up and score in a big game like this,” Wiersema said. “Dawson Beyer and Jake Hazel have been the foundation of our program for the last few years. I’m just really proud of them stepping up on their home field.”
Marshall found a scoring opportunity with just under nine minutes left of action on a PK of their own. Maddox Schroader went head-to-head with Lane Grace, but the powerful boot would hit the crossbar and back into action for McCracken.
The nail in the coffin came with just under three minutes left to play when Grant Seaton marked the 3-0 ball game on a breakaway goal.
Both the Marshals and Mustangs will advance to the First Region tournament next week at Marshall County High School where McCracken County will take on Calloway County as the runners-up of the Second District, while Marshall will take on Murray, the champions of their former district.
The All-District Team: Paducah Tilghman’s Braden Talbert, Blane Kolb, Tate Jennings (not pictured). Marshall County’s Braden Burnham, Colton Snyder, Ethan Upton and Houston Johnson. McCracken County’s Mason Atnip, William O’Neill, Jake Hazel, Ayden Tappan and Lane Graze.