Soccer Dawgs win fifth game in a row

by Sean Dunlap

Franklin County High School’s boys varsity soccer squad picked up two more wins last week — slipping past Morton, 3-2, on Monday, Nov. 14 and blanking Lawrence County, 3-0, on Thursday, Nov. 17.

FC 3, MORTON 2

After a 1-all, first-half tie, Franklin County ultimately outscored the home team two goals to one after intermission to claim its second win of the season over Morton.

“I’m so proud of the boys for playing their hearts out,” FC Head Soccer Coach Jeff Long said. “They have no quit in them as we have come from behind in two straight games.

“It took everything we had defensively to hold (the Panthers) to two goals with our back line really stepping up at times where Morton had multiple shots from close range. We gutted this one out, and it was a big win for us on the road.”

After initially trailing 1-0, the Soccer Dawgs answered on a Jamari Tolliver goal that came thanks to an assist from Mason Emfinger.

FC took a 2-1 lead on a beautiful, 45-yard free kick from Zachary Kent that went under the crossbar, but the Panthers answered with a goal to knot things at 2-all late in the affair.

The Soccer Dawgs’ Landon Furlow sent a shot forward that was picked up by Tolliver, who got past Morton’s keeper for the game-winning goal before time expired.

Tolliver led the team with seven of its 32 shots on the night and finished with four shots on goal.

Furlow recorded six shots with three SOG, and Kent and Kolby Cox both had four shots each as the former collected two SOG and the latter chipped in one.

In addition, Emfinger had three shots and two shots on goal. Xavien Felton added three shots and one SOG and Jaquez Anderson and Terrance Fields both accounted for two shots and one SOG apiece.

Keyundre Felton was credited with a single shot for the Soccer Dawgs’ offense.

Fields paced Franklin County with 14 defensive stops as Kent added 12 and Furlow, Emfinger, Drew Mullins and Preston Cupit contributed eight take-aways each.

Other defensive stops were collected by Chris Carraway, seven; Xavien Felton, six; Tolliver, five; Anderson, five; Cox, five; Parker Jordan, four; and Keyundre Felton, three.

In the keeper’s slot, Dakota Chisholm surrendered two goals, but had 11 saves throughout the contest to help preserve the win for Franklin County.

FC 3,

LAWRENCE COUNTY 0

After a scoreless first half, Franklin County scored three goals after intermission on the road against the Cougars to improve to 5-0 overall on the season.

“We played well considering how much we were missing due to the flu bug,” Long said. “Lawrence County had an athlete in the goal and must have had 16 to 18 saves. He was outstanding, but we adjusted well and played our game in the second half, which opened up some space and better opportunities.

“Sometimes in this game, you can dominate and the scoreboard doesn’t actually show that. I like the way we responded in the second half.”

Furlow paced the Soccer Dawgs with a goal and an assist along with seven shots and four shots on goal while Tolliver had two goals in conjunction with six shots and three SOG and an assist.

Cox finished his night with four shots and one shot on goal, Field recorded three shots and two SOG and Anderson recorded three shots and one SOG.

Cupit and Kent both had two shots for the Soccer Dawgs as Cupit had one shot on goal.

Keyundre Felton had a single shot in the outing and Emfinger accounted for an assist.

On defense, Franklin County was led by Kent’s 11 stops as Fields had nine and Cox, Emfinger and Preston Cupit chipped in eight apiece.

Keyundre Felton had six defensive take-aways for the Soccer Dawgs while Tolliver, Anderson and Furlow added five each, Parker Cupit recorded three and Max Turner had one.

Chisholm collected the shut-out win as keeper.

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UPCOMING GAMES

Franklin County will enjoy a short hiatus for the Thanksgiving holiday and is set to return to play at home on Tuesday, Nov. 29 against Class I District 7 foe Hazlehurst with kickoff set for 7:15 p.m.

On Thursday, Dec. 1, the Soccer Dawgs will be on the road to face Brookhaven with junior varsity boys playing at 5 p.m., and the varsity boys taking the field around 7:15 p.m.

On Saturday, Dec. 3, FC travels to Clarke County to battle Enterprise with the JV boys game starting at 11 a.m., and varsity boys beginning around 1:15 p.m.



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