MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The battle for Chattanooga continued on Thursday as Boyd Buchanan face Notre Dame in the Division II Class A state soccer championship at Rishard Siegal Soccer Complex. The Bucs and the Irish went head-to-head for 80 minutes filled with seat clinching drama before Boyd Buchanan would take home the title with a 1-0 victory over Notre Dame.
Boyd and Notre Dame played nearly inseparable through a majority of the game. However, the Bucs would find an attack that would make them dangerous. They utilized their wingers Fiston Mungisha and Drew Pollard. Both players offered tremendous speed and creativity to get the ball on the box. This is where the winning goal would progress from. The ball, played through the wing, would be sent into the box. Notre Dame made an unlucky mistake in the box to give up the ball and Pollard would capitalize on it and take it under control and crush it into the right side of the goal.
The Irish, despite not being able to come back, played with Boyd the entire game. They were evenly matched with Boyd and showed their own strengths through counter attacks in the second half. Unfortunately for them, it would be an uphill battle that Notre Dame just could not overcome. One spotlight for them was a penalty in which their keeper Chase Lundberg would save them from a 2-0 deficit and keep the hope alive for his team.
This would be the second state title for Boyd Buchanan under the leadership of head coach Dustin Walker. They have been to the state tournament many times while he has been their coach. as well as having a coaching staff that has been with them for over a decade.
Notre Dame’s head coach, Jim Shermerhorn, spoke after their devastating loss to its in-town, “I thought we played well. They are a tough team. They are well organized, and either way it was going to be a hard game for us. We had some chances in the second half that we just didn’t finish. Made a mistake and the mistake was the difference. The message to my guys is I’m proud of them. I haven’t been to a final with the boys in a long time, so I am happy. I am not happy that we lost, but I am happy with them. So, no regrets.”
The Bucs' Pollard was named Tournament MVP.
“I coach with my best friends and that’s an amazing gift,” coach Dustin Walker said. “When we say we love our boys, we love our boys. We are so happy and thankful, but the fact that we are not going to get to see these seniors play soccer again, that’s a tough emotion. It’s a weird emotion that you don’t think about."
Coach Walker continued, "One thing that we have made this about in the last twenty-four hours is doing this for Boyd Buchanan soccer family. I’m talking from decades ago and making them proud. I am so grateful for the boys and so grateful for the Lord and the gist that it is."
Speaking of his MVP, he said, "Drew is such a gift. He is such a positive energy on our team. He is being an example with the way that he works, but also encouraging the guys. He deserves it. These things are so cool, but they aren’t the goal. The goal is making better men and hopefully men that love the Lord. But good men. The bar is raising good men.”
“It means a lot,” Pollard said, “This season we were doubted by some and getting to keep winning and keep going. We lost the game against Baylor early on. We said after that we weren’t going to lose again, and we didn’t. we just kept pushing and finally won. Its amazing and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. Coach Walker is a great coach and an even better human. I wouldn’t want to be coached by anyone else.”
Nanthan Randolph wore the gloves for Boyd Buchanan this season and had an impressive game against Notre Dame. With just a one goal lead, it was up to him to make sure they held on. He set up a wall in goal and could not be scored on. He spoke about how it felt to win the championship with his guys.
“I just have a lot of thankfulness,” Randolph said. “I don’t know if that is necessarily an emotion, but I am just thankful that God has put us in this situation and that gives us the chance to have these opportunities. It’s been phenomenal. We have a bunch of phenomenal seniors and we have worked really well as a team. I was just a little nervous. Also, just a ton of excitement that we were in this situation and its what we live for.”
Game Summary
Boyd Buchanan 1 0 -- 1
Notre Dame 0 0 -- 0
Goal Scorers:
Boyd Buchanan- Drew Pollard.
(Contact Alex McElyea at alexmcelyea26@gmail.com)