photo by Mark Pace
McMinn County strode past the Mustangs 4-1 to ruin Walker Valley’s senior night in a District 5-AAA matchup.
The victory is McMinn’s second district win in a row after a rough start to the season for the Cherokees as postseason play looms around the corner.
“We’re peaking at the right time,” McMinn County Head Coach Jacob Slack said.
The Cherokees played a tough opening schedule, according to Slack, and the team is playing through its fair share of injuries.
However, players are starting to get healthy as the team finished the season with its first two wins.
McMinn controlled the game from the opening kickoff, keeping the ball in Walker Valley territory for most of the opening minutes. McMinn had its share of opportunities but didn’t capitalize.
Junior midfielder Aaron Rucker broke through the Mustangs defense early in the match but Walker Valley goalkeeper Skyler Swafford slid in to make the save. However, McMinn immediately followed with another opportunity this time making the most of it and taking a lead on a Jack Rymer goal.
Liam O’Malley, a senior defender and kicker for the football team, showed off his leg with a free kick just inside midfield that nearly went in the net but bounced off the crossbar, keeping Walker Valley within striking distance.
Walker Valley began making some noise, taking the ball deep into the Cherokee zone and getting five first half shots on goal, but mistakes in the penalty area came back to haunt the Mustangs once again. An illegal slide tackle led to a penalty kick and goal off the foot of Marvin Mendoza.
“The PK was a huge turning point,” Slack said.
McMinn capitalized off the penalty kick with a goal in the final minute of the first half to blow open a 3-0 lead.
Walker Valley came out of the break and cut into the lead quickly. Junior Carroll Blayne took a ball that was bouncing around the penalty box and kicked it in the back of the net to put the Mustangs on the board, but that would be one of just three shots on goal for Walker Valley in the second half.
Mendoza added his second goal of the game for some insurance and the Cherokees held on for the 4-1 victory.
McMinn moved to 2-6 on the season and 2-2 in the division. Walker Valley’s loss dropped the team to 4-6-1 overall and 0-4-1 in District 5-AAA.
(Email Mark Pace at MarkEPace@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @THEMarkPace)
photo by Mark Pace