JV Panthers win on penalty kicks
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Goalie Stephen Eigel prepares to knock down an incoming penalty kick.

The Panthers junior varsity team evened the score with the Towns County Indians Monday, winning 2-1 after losing to the Indians 3-1 earlier in the year.

"I picked up a couple more players that became eligible [since then] and we played a good game against them," Panthers Head Coach Chris Robbins said. "My jv team has just been getting better and better. They played to their potential."

The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on a goal from Jacob Spaulding on a shot inside the 18. The Indians later tied the game, sending the contest to penalty kicks.

The teams tied the first two sets of kicks 2-2, setting up a third set that would have immediately been followed by sudden death. But the Panthers won the third set 2-1 on goals by Cason Carter and Matthew McCombs.

Varsity: Union 1 - Buford 4

The Panthers lost their second region game of the season Friday, falling 4-1 to a very young, but very talented Buford Wolves team.

"They're a very young team but they are going to be good the next few years," Coach Robbins said. "I told the guys, 'you're playing for first place again.' It's the second chance they have had to seal the deal."

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Vincent Thomas (#1) gets tripped up by an Indians player.

But the Wolves looked strong from the outset, taking a 1-0 lead before Michael Myrick scored for the Panthers to tie the game 1-1. "It was a good goal," Coach Robbins said. "The feed came from the mid-field. Russel Thompson laid it off and Michael finished it off."

But Buford responded with 3 more goals in the second half, sealing an easy win. "We didn't have control of the ball or the game," the coach said. "We missed at least two to three breakaways, one on one with the keeper, and they just ran away with it.

"We're going to try to work on some stuff to get their heads [in the right place] because we still have a really good chance in state if we can [get] seed number two," Coach Robbins said. "But if we draw three or four we'll play a powerhouse."

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Coach Robbins talks to the junior varsity team during halftime.