...AND FOR THE GOLD: Somerset boys mercy rule Rebels on senior night

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Somerset senior Landen Lonesky (right) slides and shoots the ball for a goal during the Jumpers' 9-1 win over Casey County on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.

SOMERSET- As the evening turned to night, and the cloudy weather gave way to rain, the Somerset Briar Jumper boys took their turn to celebrate their senior night at Clara Morrow Field. A lot of great players took their turn in the limelight before the game, as the Jumpers honored Tyson Absher, Carson Beattie, Nils Beck, Avelardo Cortes Jose, Oskar Lintzen, Landen Lonesky, Kean Taylor, Andrew Tomlinson and Aidan Tucker, or put more simply, one of the winningest group of seniors in Somerset Briar Jumper history. With the cold night turning into a rainy one, the stage was set for a slow-paced, methodical game.

Apparently no one told that to the Jumpers though, as they scored early and often, ending this game at half via the mercy rule as they defeated Casey 9-1 to finish off a perfect district slate.

After an uneventful first four minutes, Niles Beck was the first player to score, with Beck being able to score after some confusion around the goal for a 1-0 Somerset lead and his first goal of the season. Landen Lonesky, starting at striker instead of his usual spot guarding the net, was able to get his first varsity goal, on his senior night no less, a minute later. The senior was able to go on the attack and managed to get a sliding shot past the goalkeeper, putting his team up 2-0, but the scoring was far from done for Somerset on this night.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Somerset senior Carson Beattie (10) attempts to maintain possession of the ball with his chest during the Jumpers' victory over Casey County on Tuesday.

Casey finally got their first shot on the goal in the ninth minute, as junior Jimmy Ramirez had a free kick that sailed over the goal. Beck then got goal number two for himself a minute later, as he received a perfect pass from Tyson Absher and kicked the ball into the left side of the goal to further increase the Somerset lead to 3-0. Kean Taylor joined this senior scoring parade a minute later, getting a rebound off a deflection for the goal. Absher joined the party in the 13th minute with a goal, and all of a sudden Somerset was on top 5-0 just when the rain was starting to pick up.

The drought for Casey was finally up in the 19th minute, as junior Zachary De Robles connected on a penalty kick to trim the Somerset lead to 5-1. It seemed like the Rebels finally might be building a bit of momentum for themselves, but that quickly went away a minute later, as Absher went on a breakaway attempt and found goal number two for himself to put his team up 6-1. When it rains... it pours, just not weather-wise as the rain was steady as Somerset found goal number seven of the evening in the 21st minute, with Andrew Tomlinson getting an assist from Aidan Tucker and his shot sailing into the left side of the goal from the top of the box.

Tomlinson didn't take long to score twice either, as two minutes later he received a pass from Taylor and connected with the back of the net, putting Somerset up 8-1 and if their defense could hold strong and their offense scored one more goal before the half, this game would be over. Multiple Somerset players took their chance at that goal, with shots from Tucker, Carson Beattie and Noah West all missing their target.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Somerset senior Andrew Tomlinson attacks with the ball during the game between the Briar Jumpers and the Casey County Rebels on Tuesday night.

A spectacular pass from Tomlinson set up what ended up being the game-winning goal in the 30th minute, as Oskar Lintzen found a foot on the ball in midair for a goal that wouldn't look out of place on the Sportscenter Top 10, I'm looking at you ESPN. Shots from Bryson Church, Tucker and Beattie followed in the final 10 minutes of the half, but more importantly the Somerset defense stepped up and prevented the Rebels from even having a shot on goal over those final minutes. Halftime hit and the game was called, as Somerset was victorious 9-1 and the sweet sounds of "My Old Kentucky Home" started ringing through Clara Morrow. Head coach Tyler Gillum was understandably emotional following the win after coaching a lot of these players for years.

"It hasn't really set in until tonight that my time coaching them and their high school careers are coming to an end. You listen to some of their messages when they were honored before the game, I'm blessed to have been part of their lives. Getting the seniors the opportunities that they had tonight, playing extremely well despite the different rotations, it's a testament to what this team is about. We have our scorers, but when push comes to shove, we take care of our own," he described while holding back his emotions.

Somerset improves to 9-2 and will be back in action at home on Thursday against a strong South Laurel team.

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