BULLDOGS HOLD ON FOR FINAL WIN

Published 3:48 pm Wednesday, March 18, 2020

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The Andalusia High School varsity soccer team took an early lead and held on to win their final match against Carroll High School, Tuesday 4-2.

The Bulldogs started strong with Gage Theus taking a shot on goal with 34 minutes left in the game. The Carroll goalkeeper caught the shot and sent it downfield.

The Eagles tried to make a run on goal but were offsides.

With 30 minutes left in the half, Theus redirected a long thrown in and headed it in the goal for the first score of the night.

Reese Burkhardt dribbled through several Carroll defenders with 19 minutes left in the half and boomed a shot at goal, but it went wide right.

Carroll looked to score again with 17:05 left in the half, but it soared over the goal.

Dawson Kennedy had a hard shot from the side of the goal and it went straight by the Eagle goalkeeper to increase the score 2-0.

Burkhardt had another shot on goal but just missed with 9:30 left in the half.

He had another attempt 30 seconds later and nailed his target in the bottom left corner of the goal, making it 3-0.

With 6:57 left in the half, Theus curved a free kick in the corner of the net just outside the 18-yard box to give the Bulldogs their last goal of the night.

“Man, I couldn’t be prouder of the players tonight,” AHS head coach Ray Bozeman said. “I told them early on in the season that if we were disciplined and did everything right that this season would end in a joyous way. Of course, we don’t want it to end, but I think this season ended just the way that we challenged them to. I think that first half of soccer was the best half that we have played in a couple of seasons.”

To the seniors that played their last game of soccer on Tuesday night, Bozeman said that life is full of misfortune.

“Life is full of things that we can’t control,” Bozeman said. “It’s the ones that trust in the Lord and know that His ways are greater than our ways are the ones that will come out joyous in the end. I hope this is a huge testament to that.”

The Bulldogs finished their season 8-4 with a 4-1 region record.