Tiger Cubs blasted by Braves

Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Greencastle senior Sonney Basham redirects a ball during Tuesday's contest against Terre Haute South.

The Greencastle boys' soccer team welcomed Terre Haute South to town Tuesday and found itself on the short end of the stick, losing to the Braves by the count of 8-2.

Terre Haute South jumped out quick with Nic Henderson and Josh Pigg scoring early. The Tiger Cubs began the game well, but after two goals, the team looked deflated and the Braves took advantage.

"Soccer can be one of those momentum things," GHS head coach Dave Lilly said. "I mean, if we get a goal, we're elevated and they're not. By no means do I think they're going to quit because they're the kind of guys that battle for 80 minutes. That's the kind of team we needed to be."

The Braves scored three more goals in the first half to lead GHS 5-0 at the half. The Tiger Cubs walked to the sideline and regrouped, with Lilly instructing them to play the second half as if they were only down 1-0. Following the game Lilly said his logic was that he knew if would be tough to come back from five goals down if the team lacked energy and hoped that mindset would help give them a lift.

The second half saw the Tiger Cubs get a second wind, but the Braves were just too strong for the Tiger Cubs. GHS is struggling in goal at the moment with starting keeper Zane Miller battling a shoulder injury. Miller started the game, but exited when his shoulder began bothering him. Alex Briones replaced Miller, but he was later replaced by Jon Good.

Terre Haute South added three additional goals in the second half to stay in control of the match, but Greencastle showed the first wasn't indicative of its usual play. Once the energy level was ratcheted up, Greencastle went on the offense and it was the Braves who were on their heels.

Sonney Basham and Mitchell Ball began to press the Braves up the middle and the Tiger Cubs were finally able to get on the board. Ball blasted a shot, which the Braves' keeper deflected, but Basham was there for the put-away giving GHS its first goal of the night.

Basham added an additional goal after receiving a pass from Evan Smith and catching the keeper out of position for his second goal of the night. Basham currently is the state leader in goals with 21.

"The first half they were man-marking him," Lilly said. "Their No. 3 (Ian Cook) pretty much was committed to shutting him down. After they got up, they got a little bit looser with their marking and he moved up to try to get his goals and that gave us a few more opportunities.

"We moved Mitchell Ball off our sweeper position to an attacking mid and he's the one who got the first hit that Sonney followed and got the goal on," he added.

Lilly said moving forward from Tuesday's loss is simply getting back to work.

"We'll just go back to work and see what positive we can make out of it, because we definitely got thumped tonight. No question about it," Lilly said.

Greencastle's Mitchell Ball blasts a shot around Terre Haute South's Ian Cook during Tuesday's contest.

At Greencastle

Terre Haute South 5 3 -- 8

Greencastle 0 2 -- 2

First Half

THS -- Henderson

THS -- Pigg (Schilling)

THS -- Mikel (Kester)

THS -- Kester (Mikel)

THS -- Clary (Mimms)

Second Half

THS -- Pigg (Sommerville)

THS -- Pigg (Mikel)

THS -- Cook (Mikel)

GHS -- Basham (Ball)

GHS -- Basham (Smith)