Lady Pioneers beat Calvary for District Crown; Boys Fall to Dixie on Direct Free Kick.

The SK Lady Pioneers hosted the Calvary Cougars in the District 18 final tonight. Calvary was looking for the three-peat for the district crown. The Pioneers came out and started strong and locked the ball in their attacking third of the field. Shot after shot failed to connect. Finally, sophomore Jillian Russell got a shot to go from the right side for the 1-0 SK score. Unfortunately, it was the only SK goal that would go giving the Pioneer faithful some tense moments.

Calvary came out and in the first couple of minutes took the ball on a breakaway deep into the Pioneer defense. Calvary gets a good shot that got knocked down for a corner. The corner was picked-off by keeper Lyndsay Figgins (see pic below) who punted the ball down the field and the next score. The Pioneers offense got into gear in the second half with goals coming from Stephanie Cagle, Liz Reilly, Shay Nienaber and L. Figgins. The SK defense shuts down the Calvary defense for the final 5-0 score.

The win pits SK against Ryle, tentatively on Tuesday at 8:00. The Pioneers defeated Ryle earlier this year by a 4-1 final in a very emotional game. Boone will play Calvary in the opener on Tuesday as well. All girls regional games will be at SK.

In boys play, the SK team came out trying to avenge their 1-0 loss early in the season to Dixie. SK opened the first half with several good chances to score that just would not fall. After SK’s early success getting good shots, things settled into a back and forth game.

SK opened the second half the same way they did the first with several very good scoring chances; none which would go. The Pioneers were called for a foul a yard behind the18 yard box with about 6 minutes to go. The Pioneer defense was set-up correctly with a solid wall and the keeper watching the opposite side of the wall. The kicker chose to drive the shot between the wall. It worked and Dixe takes and Dixie scores for the 1-0 lead Unfortunately, the lead holds up as the final. Although the Pioneer boys did not win the district, there is little doubt that they improved a ton from the beginning of the year as a team.

The SK boys will take on Ryle at Ryle.

District 18 Champs!


Girls race out to get their hardware.


Give me that, uh arm.


Needabobber put a beautiful goal in during the second half.


Russell with a huge tourney.


Lyndsay snares the corner kick.


AP


Rei with a headball goal on the night.


O with two strong tourney games and a light moment here before the thorow-in.

Cousins Marie and Jillian celebrate first half goal.