MERIDIAN —
For 51 minutes, the Lamar boys soccer team waited.
They sloshed through mud, traded blows and missed chances with visiting Central Hinds Academy in the MAIS Division 2A State Championship Saturday afternoon.
Frustration built up on both sides until Lamar midfielder Danny Weisner found the ball at his feet with a golden opportunity. With Central Hinds goalie Blake Holmes out of the net, Weisner lifted a ball from 30 yards out, sailing it over Holmes and into the net to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. Six minutes later, Weisner would find the ball in the box and once again bury it in the back of the net en route to an eventual 2-1 win over the Cougars and a second-straight state championship for Lamar.
“I saw the goalie come out and I just went for it.” Weisner said. “On the second goal, I just got it inside and scored. It feels great to be state champions again. We worked our hearts out today.”
The Raiders beat the Cougars in the state championship last season, traveling to Central Hinds and coming away with a 5-4 victory in penalty shootouts.
“It's big,” Lamar head coach Mike Crowe said of repeating as state champions. “We had some seniors who weren't on the championship team last season, and I think our kids played up. They wanted those guys to go out with a win.”
Nobody turned up their play as much as Weisner, who earned MVP honors after the game. After scoring the Raiders two goals, the junior narrowly missed a hat trick later in the second half.
Defender James Kenney also came up big for the Raiders on the day, finding Weisner for the assist on his second goal of the game.
“Danny' has had a great season,” Crowe said. “Today, they focussed in on him a little bit and ganged up to double team him a couple times. Danny has done a great job for us, and having the guys to feed him the ball behind him, helps. They find him, and Danny has a good nose for the net and puts it in there.
“That shot from way out was a tough one to make, but that is something we have seen from him all season. He’s done a great job for us all year.”
With both rivals hungry for a win, the game became chippy at times, as both teams traded the occasional shove throughout the 80 minutes as fans cheered and jeered on the sidelines.
Lamar also survived without its starting goalie, as Barrett Dudley colided with a Central Hinds player on a corner kick and had to leave at the 31 minute mark. Defender Blaine Mueller took over in the net for the Raiders, holding the Cougars scorless until Dudley returned early in the second half.
“It's been back and forth from last year,” Crowe said. “It was a real physical game when we played them at their field last year. It's been one of those things were they say, alright y'all got bragging rights but we are going to get it back. We have been lucky to win against them this year.”
Lamar players gave Crowe an icy shower during his post-game interview, as they snuck up behind to catch the coach by surprise. While Crowe has become used to the practice, the feeling of success never gets old.
“I'm glad they kind of missed me that time,” Crowe said laughing. “I was lucky, they are still pretty cold.”
Sports
Champs again
Lamar boys win back-to-back state titles
- Sports
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(PHOTOS) Enterprise in the Class 2A State Championship
Slideshow of Enterprise in the Class 2A State Championship fast pitch series.
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(PHOTOS) Newton County wins Class 4A
Slideshow of Newton County in the Class 4A State Championship fast pitch series.
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(PHOTOS) Neshoba wins Class 5A
Slideshow of Neshoba Central in the Class 5A State Championship fast pitch series.
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Newton County beats Houston 10-0 to claim 7th fast-pitch championshi
Players from Newton County’s dugout barely made it to the foul line before a celebratory dogpile ensued here Saturday. Indeed, winning never gets old.
The Lady Cougars blanked Houston 10-0 Saturday at Freedom Ridge Park, completing an easy sweep of their best-of-three, Class 4A State Championship Series and gaining a measure of revenge after falling short a year ago. -
Rockets roar by East Central, claim 5A crown
Trae Embry took somewhat of a gamble when he accepted the softball
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Enterprise falls twice to East Webster
It just wasn't to be.
After 16 innings of big plays and tense moments, the Enterprise Lady Bulldogs fell just short of their third MHSAA Class 2A State Fast-Pitch Softball Championship on Saturday, dropping a 3-1 decision in the decisive game three. But EHS head coach Davey Dewitt said he was pleased with the way his team played, battling East Webster to the last out. -
Richmond leaves Clarkdale for Neshoba Central
Former Clarkdale High School head football coach Chris Richmond is leaving the team to serve as a position coach at Neshoba Central next season. Richmond, who went 1-21 in his two seasons as the Bulldogs head coach said the move to Neshoba will help him stay closer to his family
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Neshoba Central shuts out East Central 8-0
Neshoba Central’s last two rounds of the state softball playoffs involved grueling series wins over Lake Cormorant and New Hope. And while no one knows what today holds in the Class 5A State Championship Series, the Lady Rockets zipped through East Central like a hot knife through butter in Ridgeland Friday night.
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Enterprise tops East Webster 6-3
Just one more win.
That's how far away the Enterprise Lady Bulldogs are from closing out an amazing season. After beginning the year 4-8, EHS has won 15 of their last 19 games, including Friday afternoon's 6-3 win over East Webster in the MHSAA Class 2A Fast-Pitch Softball Championships. - More Sports Headlines
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