The Mary Persons JV boys soccer team won the regional championship with a penalty shootout win over GMC last Wednesday, April 10th.
The Bulldogs knew they would have a challenge facing the GMC for the title. Under first-year coach Nathan Devane, MP lost to GMC 2-1 back on March 11.
But the Bulldogs had improved since then under DeVane’s leadership. He had moved Thomas Kime to forward and Lawson Newberry to defensive midfielder, which opened up a case of attacks that gave opposing teams intrigue. Additionally, Cam Hunt had recovered from his injury to give the MP another weapon.
The championship game against GMC was supposed to be played before spring break but was postponed due to rain. In fact it wasn’t clear the game would be played at all until it was rescheduled last Wednesday in Milledgeville.
Kime put MP on the board when he scored on an assist from Cam Hunt. But 12 minutes later the Bulldogs would unfortunately give up their goal and draw 1-1.
At the end of the period, Kime sent a volley towards goal where Tate Lancaster headed the ball home. The ball hit the net as the buzzer sounded and MP celebrated a 2-1 halftime lead. But it wouldn’t be the last loudmouth of the night.
Kime seemed to put the game away when he scored on John Henry Hankinson’s pass to give MP a 3-1 win with a few minutes left. But GMC did not stop.
With 34 seconds left, GMC scored to get within 1, only down 3-2.
And, perhaps, just 33 seconds later, with one tick left on the clock, GMC scored again as time expired to make it 3-3 and force overtime.
Neither team scored in the extra period so it went to penalty kicks.
GMC took the lead, but MP’s Lawson Newberry countered to make it 1-1.
The GMC did the second one, too, to put pressure on the MP. But Thomas Kime did his thing for a 2-2 draw.
GMC made its next play, also making it 3-2, but Cam Hunt hit a home run to make it 3-3.
Finally, MP guard Nate Groeper got the first save on the PK and the Dogs were feeling good.
Thomas Ross did his thing to give the MPs a 4-3 lead in PKs. Then Groeper made another save, sending the Bulldogs into a wild celebration.