Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences defeated Madison Academic Magnet 4-1 in the Division I Class A State quarterfinal on Tuesday in Murfreesboro.
CSAS struck early and found themselves up 2-0 inside 10 minutes. Senior forward, Rohit Krishnamoorthy, scored the opener in the third minute of the match. Five minutes later, senior forward, Jalil Barnes, scored the Patriots second, assisted by senior defender, Nicholas Webber.
Madison Magnet grew into the match and pulled one back 20 minutes later, when they were rightly awarded a penalty kick. Sophomore, Edward Havercamp, stepped up and powered his shot high into the roof of the net to cut the lead to 2-1. CSAS needed to regroup at halftime and figure out how to not let the Mustangs back into the match.
“The great thing about the halftime conversation is that we talked about what we wanted to do as coaches and as we walked over there, (where the players were) Ben Harrison (senior) is doing exactly what we were talking about with cones.” said CSAS Head Coach David Poss. “What is so great about it is that he (Harrison) was my Coach’s Award winner and he was sitting on a red card. That is somebody who absolutely wants to play.”
The Patriots started the second half just as they had the first half and scored two goals -less than a minute apart- in the first 10 minutes. Senior midfielder, Asa Nichols, created the chance that junior midfielder, Adin Castle, finished. Krishnamoorthy scored off of another Webber assist to shut the door on the Mustangs and push his side through to the next round.
Coach Poss knows his guys want another crack at Signal Mountain who they have failed to beat three times this season, but for that to be a possibility, they have to go through the reigning champions.
“I’m just going to reemphasize that the same thing that got you here is what is going to have to get you to the next one.” said Coach Poss.
CSAS have a rematch of last year’s semifinal against Gatlinburg-Pittman on Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. on field four.
The other semifinal will be taking place simultaneously on Wednesday as Grace Christian Academy battle Signal Mountain.