SPORTS

H.S. SOCCER: Lexington beats North Side in BOW

KEVIN ODOM
sports@jacksonsun.com

Lexington’s boys’ soccer team scored two second half goals to come from behind to beat North Side 2-1 in the Best of the West soccer tournament at University School of Jackson on Friday night.

The win puts Lexington at 2-0 in the tournament with an opportunity take first place honors if the Tigers defeat Dyersburg today. Lexington has now won four games in a row to improve to 9-2-3 on the season.

“At halftime I talked to them about staying aggressive and to keep attacking. We have to be able to overcome being behind,” said Lexington coach Kirk Childers. “We wanted to come back and win this game, not just tie them.”

Lexington freshman Tristan Lowery bent a free kick around the Indians’ wall and into the top corner of the goal from 19 yards out to put the Tigers up 2-1 in the 59th minute. The kick was so well placed North Side goalkeeper Angelo Herrera had no chance of stopping it.

Lowery not only contributed to the Tigers’ win with his 10th goal of the season, but he also helped out on the defensive side by playing center back. Childers started using Lowery on defense after the team lost center back Austin Lindsey for the season to injury.

“Tristan is a very versatile player,” Childers said. “I like him up front for his powerful shot, but he is also such a good defender that I play him in the back some to help the team out.”

North Side (3-7-1) scored the first goal in the 25th minute when Salvador Damazo beat a Lexington defender on the wing and crossed the ball to Pablo Garcia, who kicked it in for a 1-0 lead. The Indian goal came on their first and only shot on goal in the first half.

“Salvador [Damazo] is a very explosive striker, and I think our defense especially Zach [Wilson] did an excellent job in shutting him down after we gave up that first goal,” Childers said.

Lexington scored its first goal when defender Brice Ellis took a hard shot from the edge of the 18-yard box that bounced off an Indian defender and went over the keeper’s arms and into the goal for a 1-1 tie 10 minutes into the second half.

“We have been discussing that every game at this point in the season is key,” Childers said. “We want to win every game going into the district tournament and on.”