By Staff
FULL CONTACT Jackson Prep's Marion Wood kicks the ball away as she collides with Lamar's Emily Thompson during Thursday afternoon's MPSA championship game. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Oct. 10, 2003
JACKSON The Lady Patriots of Jackson Prep were able to do the one thing other opponents haven't been able to do against the Lamar School Lady Raiders disrupt the passing lanes.
Jackson Prep sagged two defenders back from the neutral zone forcing Lamar to try to get into the offensive zone with long passes in the Lady Patriots' 3-0 victory in the Mississippi Private Schools Associations girls' soccer championship game Thursday.
"We have come so far and improved tremendously," said Lamar senior Amanda Jones of the team's second-place finish. "We have learned to play as a team, and we have picked up our game throughout the season."
Jackson Prep captured an early lead off a deadball foul about 20 yards in front of Lamar's goal at the game's five-minute mark.
Lady Patriots sophomore midfielder Ana Lampton guided the free kick around the Lady Raiders' wall and into the left side of the net. Lamar goalkeeper Cheryl Luquire dove in an attempt to stop the shot but the ball curled just out of her reach.
Jackson Prep notched its second goal in the game's 29th minute connecting on a shot off a cross to take a 2-0 lead.
Luquire came out of the net to knock down the crossing pass, but she was knocked down while in the air and the ball landed on Lady Patriots' midfielder Kate Carter's foot. Carter poked the ball into the left side of the net.
Lamar head coach Eddie Escobar pulled Luquire from the net after the second goal to put the junior in the field. Junior Blair Barham replaced Luquire, who stopped three of the five shots on goal she faced.
The switch worked a little bit for the Lady Raiders, as they were able to get off two more shots before the end of the first half.
But Lamar struggled getting the ball past Jackson Prep sweeper Avery Buffington, who played back for the majority of the game to pick up an long pass attempts by the Lady Raiders down the sideline.
The Lady Patriots put the match away in the game's 63rd minute, with their final goal of the game.
Jackson Prep forward Lee Bobo corralled a loose ball in front of Lamar's net, and fired a shot into an open goal.
Barham stopped 12 of the 13 shots she saw, and despite playing in the hole from the game's opening minutes, Lamar continued to press Jackson Prep's defense throughout the game.