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Defending state champs blank Smoky Mountain
Two-time defending state 3-A champion Roberson blanked Smoky Mountain 4-0 in a Mountain Athletic Conference soccer game Sept. 22 at Roberson.
The Mustangs fell to 9-3 overall and 4-2 in the MAC.
“I thought we played very well,” Coach Dolphus Brown said. “We were very poised and looking for the challenge.”
Robin Zeiber opened the scoring at the 21:30 mark with an assist from Kervin Dieudonne.
Smoky Mountain’s Kirk Childress (right) battles a Roberson player for possession in last week’s 4-0 loss. – Herald photo by Carey Phillips
“One of our defenders stabbed, and the kid went right by him,” Brown said.
Robert Franklin nailed a shot from 30 yards out for a 2-0 lead at the 26:17 mark.
“It was a very long shot,” the coach said. “He was unattended because he was so far out. Our goalie had his vision obstructed. He didn’t see the ball until it went by him.”
The Rams were up 3-0 at halftime after Richie Pryately scored with an assist by Caleb Alexander on a corner kick at the 34:35 mark.
“It was a beautiful header off a corner,” Brown said. “We didn’t mark too bad. We just stood there sort of flat-footed.”
The lone goal of the second half was by Rob Hubbard with an assist from Sean Baker at the 69:57 mark.
“The ball was played to him from the right side,” the coach said. “He was marked very tightly. He turned a little and shot it left-footed on the ground just inside the far post.”
Roberson had a 15-4 advantage in shots. SM’s Bryan Newbold made 10 saves, and Patrick Browne had two for the Rams.
“We were trying to do some things to shorten the game and limit the number of opportunities they could have,” Brown said. “We did a lot of good things against a quality team.”
He was even more pleased with the effort since three key players did not see action. Brown said Coleman Corzine was sick, Johnny Toledo had an academic commitment and J.R. Collins is no longer on the team due to personal reasons.
“Everybody was willing to do what it took,” Brown said. “It was a tribute to the character of this team.”
The Mustang JVs fell to 5-2-1 with a 3-0 loss. All of the scoring was in the first half.
A home game against Tuscola, rained out earlier in the season, will be played at 4 p.m. Friday. The JVs will not play.
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