Wednesday roundup: Soccer, golf
- Updated: April 8, 2015
Donoho dumps Talladega in soccer; Gregoria going for three-peat in girls county golf; poll update
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Noah Wright and Schuyler Buckner both had a goal and an assist and Chandler Collins turned back 12 shots, including a second-half penalty shot, as Donoho blanked Talladega 3-0 Wednesday night.
Wright converted a volley from Mitchell Baker for his third goal of the season to open the scoring. Buckner headed home Wright’s corner kick to give the Falcons a 2-0 halftime lead, then assisted on Tej Patel’s first goal of the season in the second half.
The Falcons (4-3) won back-to-back games for the first time since their first two games against Talladega and Lincoln to get back above .500 for the season.
“It’s good to get back-to-back wins against big schools like that when you’re a 1A school,” Falcons coach Matthew Wright said. “We played more of a possession game tonight, midfield heavy, and kind of controlled the rate of play.
“We played real defensive against Collinsville. We controlled the game this time. If the other team doesn’t have the ball, they can’t score.”
The Tigers had their best chance with a penalty kick in the second half, but Collins dove to his right to turn it away. The shutout was his second in three games back from an early-season illness.
“This is his first year playing goalie, but he’s super athletic and doing a great job,” Wright said. “He’s making a lot of big saves. He made one against Faith that was unbelievable.”
The Falcons return to action Thursday 7 p.m. against Anniston at Lentz Field.
GIRLS GOLF: Cubs’ Gregoria going for three-peat
Alexandria senior Jordan Gregoria will be looking for an unprecedented third straight individual title when the Calhoun County Girls Championship gets underway Friday at Pine Hill Country Club.
Her primary competition is expected to come from teammate Katie Roberts, White Plains’ Layne Dyar and Reagan Thompson, and JCA’s Chloe Borders. The team race is expected to be a tight affair between senior-laden Alexandria and White Plains.
“It’s exciting to know I have a chance to win again and it’s an opportunity for me, but we’ll have to work for it this year because we have competition,” Gregoria said. “It’s up for grabs, but I’m hoping I can take it. If I can get my mental game straight and think about it the right way, I’ll do fine.”
This is a big week for Gregoria. In addition to playing for another county crown this weekend, on Wednesday she will sign to play golf at Jacksonville State.
She also considered Montevallo, but chose the local option.
“It’s very exciting to know my golf career just doesn’t end in high school and I get to carry it out for the next four years,” she said.
POLLS: Alexandria ranked in baseball, softball
Alexandria remained No. 3 in the Class 5A high school baseball poll and was the only Calhoun County team in this week’s poll.
The Valley Cubs are one of three teams ranked in the softball poll. They are No. 9 in Class 5A, White Plains is No. 6 in 4A and Pleasant Valley is No. 9 in 3A.
SCORES
Baseball
Glencoe 5, Ohatchee 3 (Ohatchee eliminated from 3A playoff contention)
Softball
Ohatchee 7, Saks 2
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