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Levi Trantham jumps up to head the ball in last week’s game.
The Maroon Devils boys varsity soccer team hosted the Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy Gryphons on Tuesday, March 16 in the first round of the NCHSAA State playoffs. Thomas Jefferson is a Charter School from Rutherford County.
The Devils would get on the board first 8 minutes into the game when senior Chase Burrell would find sophomore Matthew Gray for a goal. Two minutes later, the Gryphons would score their first goal of the night off a corner kick. Six minutes later, they would score once more. With 13 minutes left in the half, the Gryphons would go up 3-1.
In the second half, the Gryphons would add two more goals off a long throw in and off a penalty kick when Swain committed a foul in the box.
With five minutes left in the game, sophomore Landon Matz would add a goal finalizing the scoring.
The Gryphons would take the 5-2 win.
“I was proud of our players. They battled all the way to the end. Thomas Jefferson has a really good team,” said head coach Scott Cline. “We always know when we play one of the charter schools from a bigger area that the team is going to be good.”
On defense, senior Booth Bassett led the way with 12 clears/steals. He was followed by senior Anthony Reyes and junior Levi Trantham each with 5. In goal senior Noel Wolf had 9 saves.
The Player of the Game for the Devils was Bassett.
“Booth played some tough defense on the back line,” said Coach Cline. “He played well against a tough offensive team.”
The Devils finish their season at 9-1 in conference, 10-3 overall and as the Smoky Mountain Conference Champions.