Tribe Side Strikes First in Pitch Rivalry With Science Hill
Heading into his first campaign as head coach of the boys program at Dobyns-Bennett, Tony Weaver could not plan for every circumstance but he did want to ensure one thing: that his team would stay fit for the long haul. And so he had this batch of Indians run, and run, and run some more.
And on Friday night in Johnson City, Weaver’s Tribe ran to the top of the Big 4 Conference standings with a 2-0 result over arch-nemesis Science Hill at Kermit Tipton Stadium.
D-B (8-0-2, 3-0-0) opened a one-game lead over Science Hill (4-7-0, 1-1-0) in the league standings, although a rematch is scheduled for this coming Wednesday at Indian Highland Park. And, based on recent history, these two teams could meet as many as four times this season, with matchups in the district and regional tournament in the potential future.
“Our rivalry is always head to head and it could go either way,” said Brogan McGhee, who scored a crucial insurance goal in the 73rd minute. “Whoever wants it more is gonna get the win.”
The Tribe controlled possession for much of the match, although Science Hill certainly had its chances – but more on those later …
D-B broke a scoreless tie in the 27th minute when sophomore Andy Salas delivered a strong shot. Science Hill keeper Foster Childress repelled Salas’ initial effort but, in a cruel twist of physics, the ball rolled across the goal line. It technically goes into the books as an own goal but it all initiated off the foot of Salas.
“We practice that actually: trying to get the ball out wide and play it back across the six,” Weaver explained. “Hopefully someone’s there to knock it home and that's what happened.”
“I just saw the run, I peeled off, got a through ball and then I just saw I had enough space to go around [the Science Hill keeper] so I touched around him. I was hoping for a cross but then it deflected back into the goal,” Salas said.
The circumstances of the first goal appeared to deflate the Science Hill side for the remainder of the first half, at least.
“We know that going in the game. You can get scored on, you can score goals, there's 80 minutes in a match,” Hilltoppers coach David Strickland said. “You have to deal with adversity and go and we did a poor job of it tonight. We really did. We have to own it. We have to quit saying, ‘Oh we played well, but…’ At some point, we've got to stand up.”
Things got chippy in the first half. D-B got whistled for three yellow cards in a span of about five minutes. Still, Science Hill could not muster much of an opportunity to equalize. Heading into the final 10 minutes, D-B still had a one-goal lead but Science Hill’s coaches and some of the veterans on the pitch were hollering for energy and effort – an uncharacteristic request to say the least given the history of the two teams in this rivalry.
Weaver was asked if he thought the Indians and their pace fatigued Science Hill.
“Yes,” he said. “I think preparing in the preseason helped us and then I've been giving them breaks. If we have a tough match on Thursday we take Friday off. That's kept them fresh and it's kept them [with] the desire there to want to play.”
McGhee delivered the backbreaker in the 73rd minute, unleashing a scorching shot that bounced off the post and then knocking in the rebound to make it a 2-0 game.
“It's such an amazing feeling scoring that goal to put us ahead,” McGhee said. “It felt like the saving goal for us. They had no chance towards the end, where it was 2-0.”
“Brogan ripped the snot out of it and ended up assisting himself. That was a great goal as well,” Weaver said.
Ethan Cline had the clean sheet in goal for the Tribe, making six saves. He and Cooper McLain combined for two huge defensive plays, both on breakaways by Science Hill forwards. The first came very early, in the ninth minute, when Samuel Moody was dashing at the goal on a one-on-one before McLain made a textbook slide tackle to disrupt the play. Thomas Faleke had a breakaway chance of his own in the 71st minute, with McLain and Cline converging to stifle him before he got off a shot.
“Cooper is our solid rock back there.” Weaver said. “He's very dependable and he does everything we ask him to do and more. You can't ask for a better center back. I'd take him over anybody in the state.”
Cline, who is in his first campaign as starting keeper, thanked D-B assistant coach John Good in particular for helping him in the buildup to this match.
“Honestly I came into this game feeling like I wasn't prepared enough,” Cline said. “I feel like my communication has improved a lot and my technical work with my feet with coach Good.
“Just thanking my defenders for keeping me safe for one and helping me out,” Cline added.
As mentioned, these two teams do not have to wait long for a rematch – five days, to be precise, back in Kingsport this time.
Weaver said he expects Science Hill to come to Indian Highland Park ready to respond but the ’Toppers have work to do.
“I thought we were second best all night. I thought they were one step ahead of us all night,” Strickland said. “They won balls in the air. They played a game that was very physical, effort, winning balls. We fell into that and it's not our identity. So we changed. In the second half I thought we got better. They were the best team tonight.”
Before facing Science Hill again, the Tribe travel to Daniel Boone on Tuesday. D-B will be without junior standout Lucas Park for that match, as Park got sent off in the 74th minute in Johnson City after receiving a second yellow card.
And on Friday night in Johnson City, Weaver’s Tribe ran to the top of the Big 4 Conference standings with a 2-0 result over arch-nemesis Science Hill at Kermit Tipton Stadium.
D-B (8-0-2, 3-0-0) opened a one-game lead over Science Hill (4-7-0, 1-1-0) in the league standings, although a rematch is scheduled for this coming Wednesday at Indian Highland Park. And, based on recent history, these two teams could meet as many as four times this season, with matchups in the district and regional tournament in the potential future.
“Our rivalry is always head to head and it could go either way,” said Brogan McGhee, who scored a crucial insurance goal in the 73rd minute. “Whoever wants it more is gonna get the win.”
The Tribe controlled possession for much of the match, although Science Hill certainly had its chances – but more on those later …
D-B broke a scoreless tie in the 27th minute when sophomore Andy Salas delivered a strong shot. Science Hill keeper Foster Childress repelled Salas’ initial effort but, in a cruel twist of physics, the ball rolled across the goal line. It technically goes into the books as an own goal but it all initiated off the foot of Salas.
“We practice that actually: trying to get the ball out wide and play it back across the six,” Weaver explained. “Hopefully someone’s there to knock it home and that's what happened.”
“I just saw the run, I peeled off, got a through ball and then I just saw I had enough space to go around [the Science Hill keeper] so I touched around him. I was hoping for a cross but then it deflected back into the goal,” Salas said.
The circumstances of the first goal appeared to deflate the Science Hill side for the remainder of the first half, at least.
“We know that going in the game. You can get scored on, you can score goals, there's 80 minutes in a match,” Hilltoppers coach David Strickland said. “You have to deal with adversity and go and we did a poor job of it tonight. We really did. We have to own it. We have to quit saying, ‘Oh we played well, but…’ At some point, we've got to stand up.”
Things got chippy in the first half. D-B got whistled for three yellow cards in a span of about five minutes. Still, Science Hill could not muster much of an opportunity to equalize. Heading into the final 10 minutes, D-B still had a one-goal lead but Science Hill’s coaches and some of the veterans on the pitch were hollering for energy and effort – an uncharacteristic request to say the least given the history of the two teams in this rivalry.
Weaver was asked if he thought the Indians and their pace fatigued Science Hill.
“Yes,” he said. “I think preparing in the preseason helped us and then I've been giving them breaks. If we have a tough match on Thursday we take Friday off. That's kept them fresh and it's kept them [with] the desire there to want to play.”
McGhee delivered the backbreaker in the 73rd minute, unleashing a scorching shot that bounced off the post and then knocking in the rebound to make it a 2-0 game.
“It's such an amazing feeling scoring that goal to put us ahead,” McGhee said. “It felt like the saving goal for us. They had no chance towards the end, where it was 2-0.”
“Brogan ripped the snot out of it and ended up assisting himself. That was a great goal as well,” Weaver said.
Ethan Cline had the clean sheet in goal for the Tribe, making six saves. He and Cooper McLain combined for two huge defensive plays, both on breakaways by Science Hill forwards. The first came very early, in the ninth minute, when Samuel Moody was dashing at the goal on a one-on-one before McLain made a textbook slide tackle to disrupt the play. Thomas Faleke had a breakaway chance of his own in the 71st minute, with McLain and Cline converging to stifle him before he got off a shot.
“Cooper is our solid rock back there.” Weaver said. “He's very dependable and he does everything we ask him to do and more. You can't ask for a better center back. I'd take him over anybody in the state.”
Cline, who is in his first campaign as starting keeper, thanked D-B assistant coach John Good in particular for helping him in the buildup to this match.
“Honestly I came into this game feeling like I wasn't prepared enough,” Cline said. “I feel like my communication has improved a lot and my technical work with my feet with coach Good.
“Just thanking my defenders for keeping me safe for one and helping me out,” Cline added.
As mentioned, these two teams do not have to wait long for a rematch – five days, to be precise, back in Kingsport this time.
Weaver said he expects Science Hill to come to Indian Highland Park ready to respond but the ’Toppers have work to do.
“I thought we were second best all night. I thought they were one step ahead of us all night,” Strickland said. “They won balls in the air. They played a game that was very physical, effort, winning balls. We fell into that and it's not our identity. So we changed. In the second half I thought we got better. They were the best team tonight.”
Before facing Science Hill again, the Tribe travel to Daniel Boone on Tuesday. D-B will be without junior standout Lucas Park for that match, as Park got sent off in the 74th minute in Johnson City after receiving a second yellow card.
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