Published: March 03, 2006 09:48 am      

Jackson soccer splits opener

Boys win, girls lose to Lovejoy

“We run this show,” is the slogan that many members of the Jackson High School Red Devils soccer team have used for a long time. And after last week’s season opening victory against AAAAA Lovejoy High School they indeed proved that they do run the show.

The Red Devils’ soccer team has almost as many members as the Red Devils’ football team and with that overwhelming number of players comes a nucleus of competitors who are more than just another group of athletes from Jackson High School.

Instead, they are like a big family and it showed on the field Friday night in the team’s season opener.

After controlling the tempo for most of the first half the Red Devils broke through and got on the board first when senior Josh Mullis scored the first goal of the season putting Jackson on top 1-0 with 8:14 left before halftime.

In the second half more offensive production came from the Red Devils when they scored two goals in a span of less than two minutes. With 34:03 left to play in the game it was junior Zach Burden blasting a shot by the Lovejoy goalkeeper to put the Red Devils on top 2-0.

After a penalty against Lovejoy, junior Rafferty Coleman lined up for a penalty kick directly in front of the Lovejoy goalie. Coleman’s kick ricocheted off the right goal post before coming back into play. It was then that junior Brad Patterson rebounded the loose ball and sent it to the back of the net for the Red Devils’ third goal of the game.

At this point Jackson led 3-0 and with the help from the crowd, was well on their way to a victory. Red Devil junior goalie Miles Coan saved the game for Jackson with many diving blocks on the night, before finally giving up a goal with 8:27 left in the game.

Although their lead was cut to 3-1 Jackson was too tough and held on for the 3-1 victory.

The Lady Devils took to Red Devil Hill first Friday night and after early blocks from junior goalie Amber Collier looked extremely strong.

But, Lovejoy eventually used their strength and speed to score first with 24:22 left in the first half. Just two minutes after their first goal Lovejoy again scored with 22:13 left in the half to go up 2-0.

In the second half the Lady Devils began to lose their legs and patience as Lovejoy rallied off six unanswered second half goals to on to the 8-0 victory.

Although they didn’t win their season opener, the Lady Devils showed that they were a physically tough team, especially sophomore Derian Adams. Adams took many vicious hits all night but after each hit the young woman bounced back for more.

Up next for the two teams will be Dutchtown High School on Tuesday at Red Devil Hill. The Lady Devils kick off at 5 p.m. and the Red Devils will get underway and try to remain perfect at 7 p.m.