For a fourth time this season, the Red Devils and Panthers will face off – this time in the Regional Championship. The longtime rivals took care of their respective opponents in the semi-finals last night, with Daviess County blowing out Meade County 9-2, while Owensboro held off Ohio County 1-0.
The Panthers poured it on Meade County
Entering the regional tournament as the district runner-up for the first time in over a decade, Jack Labart got the Panthers on the board first, scoring in the eighth minute. Six minutes later, Carter Payne made it 2-0, scoring his first of four goals. The remainder of the first half was relatively quiet, with few scoring opportunities from either team.
“Meade County plays really hard,” Daviess County head coach Doug Sandifer said. “I thought we missed some opportunities in the first half, but I was pleased with the couple of goals we had.”
The Panthers took a 3-0 lead five minutes into the second half after Taylor Hoak scored off of a rebound in front of the net. Hoak’s goal opened up the floodgates, with Payne scoring twice in the 48th and 51st minute to complete his hat trick and put the Panthers up 5-0. Hoak and Saw Mu would score in the 50th and 60th minutes to take a commanding 7-0 lead.
With the game all but over and letting their guard down, Ohio County took advantage – scoring in the 62nd and 73rd minutes. But each time they found the back of the net, the Panthers struck back, with Dylan Jones and Payne scoring in the 63rd and 79th minutes.
“Early in the second half, probably in the players mind we put the game away, but Meade County kept playing,” Sandifer said. “To their credit, they thought to the very end.”
Daviess County entered the regional tournament with multiple key players out with injuries, while others are fighting through lingering pain. To add insult to injury, three players missed the Meade County game due to being sick.
“One has pneumonia, one has strep, and one has a fever,” Sandifer said. “Palmer is still gimping around, Saw is a little gimpy today after being cleated Saturday night, and Dylan is still trying to fight his way through full fitness. No telling what other guys we just got banged up that are just trying to tough through it. We have to go with what you can go with.”
Red Devils overcame slow start
Looking ahead to a potential rematch with the Panthers, the Red Devils came out sluggish against Ohio County and didn’t have an early answer for the Eagles scheme change.
“Ohio County gave us a heck of a fight,” Owensboro head coach Ryan Haley said. “They were pressing on us in the midfield. They were dropping guys into their backline and creating more than the four that usually we are used to playing against… We did a good job of playing against their five-man midfield. They began the game with a 5-3-2 so they had a numerical advantage in the middle.”
After adapting to the change, the Red Devils began to dominate possession, but found themselves repeatedly stonewalled by the Eagles goalie Kayden Sandria.
“Their goalie was superman and made saves on three to four shots that I was sure was going in,” Haley said.
In the second half, Romer Payne and the Red Devils finally beat Sandria, taking a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute. Unfazed, Sandria continued to stand on his head and frustrate the Red Devils, making diving save after diving save. Owensboro couldn’t add an insurance goal, despite finishing with 26 shots, half of which were on goal. On the other end, the Red Devils defense negated most of Ohio County’s attacks, holding them to three shots on goal – shutting them out.
Tomorrow night, the Red Devils look to snap Daviess County’s streak of 12 straight regional titles and enter with confidence at an all-time high.
“I think we have the team to win a regional championship,” Hayley said. “Any given night we play Daviess County I think it’s a coin toss. Head or tails, you pick your team. It depends on who comes out and the way the ball spins that night. We hope to be in that game at the end and have a chance to win it. Going in I think our guys are pretty confident.”
