Terrors booted from tourney

May 07--Connor Behrend trotted out of the locker room at Glynn County Stadium during halftime Tuesday with the feeling that this season's second-round Class AAAAA playoff game would play out similar to last season.

The Glynn Academy boys soccer team lost in penalty kicks in 2013 in the second round to Starr's Mill, and Behrend hoped his team might be on the winning side of things this season.

His instincts proved to be true, but once again the Red Terrors swallowed a tough loss, falling 3-1 in overtime to last season's state runner-up Houston County (16-2), ending their season and state championship aspirations.

This game didn't quite get to penalty kicks, and if it had, Behrend thought his team had an advantage with the many strong legs the Terrors possess.

As it was, the Terrors (18-2), the Region 3-AAAAA champions, broke down defensively in the second overtime, and Houston County's Steven Moore booted in the go-ahead goal with 2:20 remaining in the second of two extra five-minute periods.

Bears coach Jason Kirk had his team pushing the ball up the middle throughout the game, but decided to attack from the sides in overtime.

"That's how that second goal happened," Behrend said. "(Our back line) was caught off guard by that."

Moore had just one defender to beat as he worked the right side of the box before he could get a shot at the goal. He cut left and caused the Glynn defender to slip, allowing him to roll a grounder past Behrend.

"I felt ecstatic," Moore said. "I had chances in the beginning of the game, and I didn't do anything with them. It was a weight off my shoulders."

Kirk said he thought his team was outplayed through the first half, but came out strong in the second half and kept fighting.

"At the end, it was sure will," Kirk said.

The Bears got an early confidence builder when forward Justin Little picked a Glynn Academy defender clean near the Terrors' box and knocked in a goal nine minutes into the contest.

"We just go to high pressure," Little said about the play. "We knew their backs wouldn't handle pressure well."

The Terrors controlled the remainder of the first half, however, and GA midfielder Roman Brockman danced his way through a horde of Houston defenders for about 15 yards and blasted a kick into the upper left corner of the net from just outside the box. That tied the game 1-1, which remained the score through regulation.

Both Behrend and Houston goalkeeper Bryce Dawson had several impressive saves in the second half.

"That goal we scored was world class, but (Dawson) didn't let anything else by him," GA coach Bobby Brockman said.

Glynn's best opportunity to take the lead in the second half came with nine minutes remaining. Seth Carroll took a kick at midfield and sliced through every Bears defender who got in his way, even keeping his feet after a near trip-up. Carroll was pushed to the ground and thought the foul occurred inside the box, which would have set up a penalty kick for the Terrors. However, the official called the spot of the foul about a yard outside of the box, forcing the Terrors to settle for a free kick. From 16 yards, August Bowers shot toward the right side of the goal, and Dawson leaped and nabbed it out of the air.

Carroll also could have lifted GA in overtime as he beat his defender and had a one-on-one situation with Dawson. His shot was high, and that was the last scoring threat the Terrors made.

Moore added an insurance goal as GA tried to push up the field with 45 seconds remaining. Behrend left his post and tried to grab the ball at the front edge of the box, but it slipped past him, which left Moore with an open goal.

Brockman said the game came down to GA missing its chances and the Bears taking advantage of theirs.

"You've got to give them credit," Brockman said. "They fought hard, and they finished the few chances they had."

After the game, an emotional Brockman reflected on the departure of his seniors, which included Behrend, forward Josh Hurtado and defender Shawn Williams.

"It just hurts," Brockman said. "Some of those kids I've had since they were little kids. I coached Connor and Josh six years in club soccer. Those guys are special."

-- Sports Reporter Nathan Deen writes about local sports. Contact him at [email protected], on Facebook or at 265-8320, ext. 349.

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