The boys varsity soccer team tied 0-0 against Gardner Edgerton in a home game on Tuesday, September 26. South lost to Gardner in their previous two seasons.
“We came into the game super hungry for a win,” junior Creed Myers said. “We had a great start to the season, and we had a couple of rough games. We’re looking to bounce back from that. Overall, the fact that they’ve beaten us the last two years is also a factor in how we wanted to play.”
The game was scoreless at the end of two 40-minute halves, so it went into overtime. Overtime consists of two 10-minute halves with a “golden goal” rule — the first goal wins the game regardless of the amount of time left. Since neither team scored, the game ended in a tie.
Despite the outcome, players were happy with their teamwork and performance.
“It felt really good,” junior Thomas House said. “The team was working very well together and the coaches had good energy. The team vibed really good together for the whole game, mostly the second half.”
South tried a new formation, seeking a different approach after a rough patch in the season.
“We were doing a 3-5-2 and then we switched to a 4-3-3, and that helped the team play from the midfield a lot more,” House said.
Both teams were frustrated by the inconsistencies in the referee’s calls — carding some fouls and ignoring others. South received four yellow cards with assistant Coach Tim Walker receiving one. Gardner received one yellow card.
The players didn’t want the calls to define the game.
“You just have to work with it,” senior Blake Cikot said. “The calls shouldn’t affect you. It affects the game, but you should just move on from it, water under the bridge.”
The new formation will help South remain strong for the rest of the season.
“It’s good learning, playing a new formation,” House said. “Hopefully we get back out there with the 4-3-3 and play better for future games.”
