LUCKY 13: Southwestern wins 13th-straight district crown over Wayne
- Jacob Pratt
- Oct 9, 2024
- 3 min read
MONTICELLO - The Southwestern Warriors have been on a mission throughout the 2024 season, with dreams of getting back to a regional title game well within their sights. First, however, they had to make it past the Wayne County Lady Cardinals in the 48th District title game on Tuesday night.
Riding a red-hot defensive unit, as well as star goalkeeper Jaycee Daulton, the Warriors rolled over Wayne County 3-0 to claim the district crown for a 13th-straight year on a cold Monticello night.
Destiny Sadler had the first shot attempt in the third minute, although her shot went ringing off the top crossbar. Shots from Sadler and Ansley Mounce in the fifth minute were off the mark, before Shayla Jones gave the Warriors a quick 1-0 lead after she managed to get a shot off into the back of the goal following a rebound a minute later. Lilly Nelson had a free kick in the 10th minute that was deflected away by goalkeeper Evelyn Pop.
A rare yellow card was issued to Southwestern head coach Nick Stringer in the 11th minute. Wayne County got their first solid look at the goal in the 16th minute, but Daulton maanged to quickly put an end to that attempt. A shot from Wayne County's Allison Perez in the 20th minute was wide of the net. Shots from Nelson, Sadler and Emma Sears in the minutes that followed were no good as the Cardinals' defense was beginning to settle in.
A shot from Jessalyn Flynn in the 30th minute was saved by Pop, before Daulton added another save two minutes later. Nelson managed to get a goal to score in the 33rd minute, with her shot rolling just past the goalkeeper for a now 2-0 Southwestern lead. Nelson had some frustration in the final minute of the half and was issued a yellow card, with her team ahead 2-0 heading into the break.
A shot from Shayla Jones in the 42nd minute was saved as the Warriors were looking to get off to a fast start on the offensive end. Daulton had a fantastic save in the 48th minute to preserve the shutout. Sadler became the third-different Warrior to score just two minutes later, as her bending kick went past the goalkeeper to put her team up 3-0.
Shots from Jones, Sadler and Austyn Hansen still couldn't find their target over the next few minutes. Sadler managed a great look at a second goal in the 61st minute, but her shot rolled to a stop right before the goal line. Tatyana Peters' attempted shot in the 64th minute went wide of the goal. After a foul in the box, the Warriors earned a penalty kick in the 71st minute, with Flynn being elected to take the shot. Unfortunately, her shot pinged off the top crossbar and was no good. Both defenses stood their ground over the final 10 minutes of the contest, with the Warriors soon dancing their way to the sideline in celebration of a 3-0 win to clinch a 13th district crown in a row.
The 48th District All-Tournament Team was announced following the conclusion of the contest. Representing McCreary Central was Jovannah Neal and Cassandra Bowling, representing Wayne County was Allison Perez, Hayden Davis and Kiley Bell, and representing Southwestern was Destiny Sadler, Shayla Jones, Jessalyn Flynn and Jaycee Daulton.
Southwestern, now 16-3-2, and Wayne County, now 10-9-1, will advance to next week's 12th Region Tournament, to be hosted by Somerset High School.
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