Cranking it up after a slow start, Ads win
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Admirals freshman Juan Byas (left) goes high in attempt to control the ball against pressure from a Lenoir City defender during this District 4-3A Tournament quarterfinal game at the Farragut Intermediate School field Monday evening, May 9. FHS won 3-1. - Photo courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
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Winning a header versus a Lenoir City Panther is Farragut’s Case Pappas (22) during this District 4-3A Tournament quarterfinal at FIS Monday, May 9. - Photo courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
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Farragut sophomore Brooks Burnette, left, battles a Lenoir City player for ball possession during this District 4-3A Tournament quarterfinal at FIS Monday evening, May 9. The Ads won 3-1. - Photo courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
Youth served Farragut boys soccer especially well in the quarterfinals of the District 4-3A tourney.
In fact, it was a freshman-to-sophomore connection that perhaps provided the game’s biggest offensive play, as No. 4 seed FHS hosted No. 5 seed Lenoir City Monday, May 9.
A nice crossing pass from near the right corner by freshman Gavin Samples found sophomore forward Brooks Burnette open just inside the 18-yard box. Burnette took the pass in mid-air and promptly belted home the go-ahead goal, from about 15 yards out, with 28:37 to play.
“I really owe it all to Gavin Samples,” said Burnette, whose Ads (7-8-2) dominated most of the second half and won 3-1, advancing versus rival and top-seed Bearden in a lose-and-go-home semifinal at BHS’s Turner-Allender Field Wednesday, May 11 (after deadline).
As for the second-half surge after a 1-1 halftime tie, “They wanted it more,” LCHS head coach Santiago Correa said.
With the teams trading first-half penalty-kick goals — junior Eric Sonnenschwin converting for the Ads — an insurance goal by sophomore Zane Unger came from five yards out with 9:13 left.
Saying his team’s defensive was “organized” throughout the game, “and we knew the chances would come,” FHS head coach Bradley Culbreth added, “At halftime we just talked about ‘finish the ball.’
“We finished our chances, starting with him,” as the coach pointed to Burnette.
