Bob Jones girls look for strong finish in soccer
Just over halfway into the season, Coach Patrick Jacklin has the Lady Patriots soccer team in good position to make the playoffs. After a 10-0 win over Buckhorn on Monday night the Lady Patriots stand at 9-6 but firmly in third place in Section 8 with a 5-2 record. The top 4 teams in the eight team section will advance to the playoffs.
It was the second Section 8 game that the Lady Patriots had won by the 10 run rule. Earlier this season they beat Hazel Green 11-1.
“In games like this you don’t want anybody to get hurt and you want the players to learn a little bit and have some fun. I let players play in different positions,” Jacklin said after the Buckhorn game.
One player who had a lot of fun was Katt Baugh who scored her second goal of the game to put Bob Jones up 10-0 and end the game on the 10 goal rule. Baugh now leads the team with 14 goals.
To knock Huntsville or Grissom out of one of the two top spots Bob Jones must beat them in the rematch by more than the 2 goal margin that the Lady Patriots lost to each of them earlier this season.
“We got a tough road to hoe but any given day we can play with just about anybody,” Jacklin said. “We graduated a lot of talent and then we lost two players who played for the elite club down in Birmingham and they didn’t come back.”
Jacklin was referring to Bob Jones seniors Sarah Lombardi and Avery Newcombe.
One elite player who did come back is Sammy Manzo who last week signed a soccer scholarship with Birmingham Southern. Manzo and Katt Baugh have led the attackers this season. Newcomer Hayley Faruqui has blended well on the front line with Hannah Snoddy who had 2 goals against Buckhorn.
Faruqui, who signed with an out-of-state school before she transferred to Bob Jones, gives the Lady Patriots 2 scholarship players.
“She has been with us all season,” Jacklin said. “She had to get used to a whole new group of girls. She didn’t even know their names at tryouts. She has come on strong and I’m happy with the way she is playing. She knows when to make an assist. There is a time when you get the ball and you got to decide do I make an assist or take a shot and she knows the difference. That really helps us.”
While Jacklin has had to rebuild the front line, his defenders returned intact and have had excellent seasons. Elle Bruno, Jenna Cecil, Jaime Leeds, and Chandler Austin are all returning starters.
“They do a great job. We have been playing with 3 back there at times. It’s dangerous but it creates more scoring opportunities,” Jacklin said.
The goal for the Lady Patriots this year is to make it to the AHSAA State Soccer Tournament at John Hunt Park. Bob Jones has not made the tournament since 2003 when they defeated Oak Mountain 1-0 for a state championship.
The immediate task at hand is to unseat perennial powers in Section 8, Huntsville and Grissom. Bob Jones will get that chance when they play at Huntsville on Thursday April 12th at 7 p.m.
Grissom comes to Madison for a big game the following Thursday, April 19th.
