Photo: Signs like this welcomed the Lewisburg girls’ soccer team on their return from Saturday’s win in penalty kicks at Madison Central. (Credit: @TheBurgSports on Twitter)
It will be Lewisburg against Clinton for the 6A North Half girls soccer championship Tuesday at Lewisburg after Saturday’s third-round action.
For Lewisburg, it was 110 minutes of tense soccer play before the Lady Patriots prevailed at Madison Central. The teams battled to a 3-3 tie through regulation time and the two overtime periods to set up a penalty kick shootout. Again, no one team held an edge until Hannah Payne decided the contest with this penalty kick:
The Lady Jags took the early lead at 2-1 into intermission but a Lewisburg goal in the second half tied the match and sent it into overtime at 2-2. Each team scored goals in the overtime periods to set up the penalty kick shootout.
Lewisburg, now 17-1-1, will host a Clinton team that advanced to the North Half final with a 1-0 win over Germantown (Madison) on Saturday. The Lady Arrows (13-6-2) made a first half goal stand up for the victory. Clinton finished second to Madison Central in the Region 4-6A standings this season.
Tuesday’s winner advances to the state championship against either Gulfport or Ocean Springs on Saturday, Feb. 4, 4 p.m., at Ridgeland High School.
Meanwhile, Hernando and Horn Lake boys had their seasons end in 6A boys’ soccer third round play. Starkville defeated Hernando 2-1 at Hernando and Clinton topped Horn Lake, both in Saturday contests.
A two-minute period in the first half proved fatal to the Tigers against Starkville. The Yellow Jackets scored first about 27 minutes into the game, banging in a rebound of a shot initially saved by the Hernando goalkeeper. Starkville quickly came back about two minutes later to score again and take a 2-0 lead into intermission.
Gordo Macias found the left corner of the net about halfway through the second half to get the Tigers back within 2-1 Starkville, but Hernando couldn’t replicate the Macias goal and saw their season come to an end.
Horn Lake tackled one of the top national teams in winter season boys soccer in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Arrows
