By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Oct. 20, 2003
The Southwest Jackson Soccer League Fusion heard its wake up call in the first day of the 11th annual Rush Autumn Classic soccer tournament loud and clear.
The Fusion, which had not lost a game entering the weekend tournament, won the under-12 girls' division championship on Sunday over the Laurel Jones County Soccer Association Raiders 5-1 on Sunday.
SWJSL overcame its first non-win of the year on the tournament's first day, when the squad played the Clinton Lady Bulldogs to a 2-2 tie, to capture the tournament's first-place trophy.
SWJSL grabbed a quick 1-0 lead after the first quarter on the strength of a goal from Jessica Dotson, who tallied hat trick in the championship game.
The Fusion extended their lead to 2-0 three minutes into the second quarter getting another goal from Dotson.
LJCSA tried to mount a comeback score a minute after giving up its second goal of the game.
Raiders forward Morgan Pace streaked down the right sideline on a break away and found the back of the net with a shot inside the Fusion's goal box to cut LJCSA's deficit to 2-1.
The Fusion responded late in the second quarter with another goal to stretch their lead to two-goals at the break.
Dotson fired a shot from the top of the Raiders' goal box that ricochet off the left goal post onto the foot of Chasity Robertson, who drilled the ball into the right side of the net for a 3-1 lead.
Dotson scored her third goal of the game four minutes into the third quarter on a break away down the left side of the field.
The Fusion attacker lifted the ball over the Raiders goalkeeper's head for a 4-1 lead.
Stephanie Weaver, who played in goal for the first three quarters for SWJSL, scored the final goal of the game on a long shot that drifted over the LJCSA goalie's head again.
The Raiders entered the final game of the tournament by virtue of a 6-4 double overtime win over the LJCSA Fury.
The Fusion had a little easier time reaching the finals winning their semifinal match up with the Pearl Attack 9-1.