For much of Tuesday night’s match, the rather wide shots-on-goal discrepancy between Franklin Central and Greenwood didn’t impact the goose eggs on the scoreboard.
However, give a good team additional opportunities, and you get what transpired in the opening match of the Class 3A Whiteland Sectional at Break-O-Day Elementary School.
Flashes junior Emma Connor scored to break a scoreless tie in the 27th minute of the second half, then saw senior teammate Breece Bass score with a goal four minutes later for a 2-0 win.
Behind in shot attempts at the half, 12-1, Greenwood (8-7-2) wound up on the short end at the end, 19-3.
“We wanted to keep the ball in front of us. We wanted to make them have to work for everything,” Woodmen coach Daniel Appelbaum said. “They’re a fantastic team with fantastic players, but we fought and made them work for everything.”
Connor broke into the clear on her goal, taking the ball down the middle.
“I got the ball in the midfield, and I passed it up to the forward,” Connor said. “I continued my run, she played it back through and I started dribbling. The Greenwood defender hit me, and I hit off my stomach and ran onto it and put it in the goal.”
Connor also was credited with an assist on Bass’ goal. The two are now tied for the Flashes’ team lead entering Thursday’s semifinal against Columbus East with 15 goals apiece.
The Greenwood loss ends the prep soccer careers of six seniors — Gabrielle Wegesin, Audrey Scaramazzo, Mallory Mahin, Alyssa Hamm, Kyndra Albertson and Tatum Syers.
Back to lead the 2024 Woodmen will be this season’s top scorers, freshman Lizzy Metzger and junior Joelle Young.
Appelbaum was proud of his team’s effort, though not the end result.
“As coaches, we’re never happy, and that’s one of the things we’ve tried to establish at Greenwood,” Appelbaum said. “We’re never satisfied. We could be state champions, and we wouldn’t be satisfied. We’re going to keep working no matter what.
“I was proud of the fight tonight. We fought really hard for 65 minutes, and then they got us. I’m proud of the girls’ effort, and proud of everything they gave to us this season. I’m glad we’re sending the seniors off with some pride.”
First-round action resumes this evening with Franklin (3-10-2) facing Roncalli (8-5-3) at 6 p.m., and the host Warriors (10-5-1) battling Columbus North (6-6-3) at 8.
