Lady Cyclones dominate Unicoi County in district play-in (with video)

Published 11:32 am Tuesday, October 11, 2022

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STAR CORRESPONDENT
Freshman Camdyn Garland scored a three-goal hat trick as the Elizabethton Lady Cyclones won a mercy rule district 1A playoff against Unicoi County by a 9-nil tally on Monday at Citizens Bank Stadium.
Garland has become a scoring machine for the Cyclones (7-8-2 overall) with five goals in the last three home matches and EHS head coach Lauren Meier said, “We are really excited to see what the rest of this year and the next three years hold for her. We just see her getting better and better. And Izzy Lewis had a beautiful goal from 35 yards out, just perfectly placed.”
EHS dominated from the outset with Garland opening the scoring in the 5th minute with an assist from Mollie Johnson. Garland struck again in the 15th minute and senior Morgan Heaton got her first goal of the game with a bullet past the Lady Blue Devils goalkeeper for a 3-nil advantage.
Just one minute later, junior Kaiya Simmons tallied a goal with an assist from Lewis as the Cyclones moved the ball at will and had nearly perfect crossing passes all night long. Heaton gave EHS a five-goal advantage with her second tally of the half.
“She is an excellent field player,” Meier said of Heaton. “Just to get out there and play in the field and tonight was a night she got to do that. We’ll need a big game in the goal (against Tennessee High) from her and she is prepared for that.”
As good as the first half was with a 6-nil halftime lead, the second half was even better with the Cyclones scoring three second-half goals within the first six minutes of the second half as the Blue
The Devils seemed to capitulate in the second half.
“We came out hard and strong and we maintained our level of play,” Meier said. “I think we have great potential with the young players we have.”
Johnson kicked off the second half with a goal on an assist from Lewis and Lewis found the back of the net on a free kick from 35 yards out that sailed high over the Devils keeper’s reach for an 8-nil advantage. Garland capped off her night scoring off a corner kick from Johnson in the 46th minute to end the match early.
District 1A playoff
EHS 9-0
Unicoi County 0 0 – 0
EHS 6 3 – 9
Scoring Summary
First Half
E – Garland (unassisted) 5:00
E – Garland (assist Johnson) 15:00
E – Heaton (unassisted) 21:00
E – Simmons (unassisted) 21:00
E – Heaton (unassisted) 23:00
E – Simmons (assist Lewis) 25:00
Second Half
E – Johnson (assist Lewis) 43:00
E – Lewis (Free Kick) 45:00
E – Garland (assist Johnson) 46:00

Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Kaiya Simmons (21) fights for control of the ball.

Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Rebecca Ford (3) Attempts to kick the ball to an open teammate.

 

Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
AnnaMae Oligny (20) dribbles toward the goal looking for an open pass.

 

Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
Cyclones head coach Lauren Meier gives her team instructions for the second half.

 

Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
AnnaMae Oligny (20) Attempts to pass to Kaiya Simmons (21) but Melissa Reynosa (9) of Unicoi steals the ball.

 

Star Photo/Tyler Scalf
AnnaMae Oligny (20) dribbles toward the goal looking for a pass while being chased by a Unicoi player.