Todd County goalie Sam Case makes the game-winning save to help the Lady Rebels beat Glasgow 2-1 and win the 4th Region All-A Classic title Saturday in Russellville.
Sam Case had never seen a penalty kick shootout in a soccer game before Saturday. Then she found herself in one as Todd County Central’s goalie. Case knocked away the final two Glasgow shots in the PK round to help the Lady Rebels win 2-1 and claim its third All-A Classic region title in four years.
The Lady Rebel junior anchored a Todd County defense that allowed just one goal in regulation play in the two games they played Saturday.
With the championship game tied at 1-1 and two overtime periods settling nothing, the teams moved to the penalty kick round. Todd County’s Madison Henderson converted the first shot, while Glasgow’s Aubrey Phillips hit the side post and saw her shot carom away.
Glasgow tied the shootout in the second round when Cari Vaught found the net.
Lyndi Hall put Todd ahead 2-1 when her shot trickled off the Glasgow goalie’s fingertips and into the back of the goal.
Savannah Brown knotted things back up at 2-2, but that would be the last time Glasgow found the net.
After shots by Todd Central’s Hannah Oliver and Glasgow’s Kirsten Crowe missed, it came down to the fifth round of the shootout. Todd County senior Jenny Flores converted her kick and left it in the hands of Case to keep Glasgow out of the net. Hayden Botts went right with her shot, and Case was there to knock it away and give the Lady Rebels the championship win.
It was Todd County’s second win of the day.
Earlier, the Lady Rebels beat Monroe County 7-0 in the semifinals. They had one hour of rest before playing Glasgow, who had earlier beaten Russellville 7-0 in the semifinals.
Todd scored first against Glasgow when they were awarded an indirect kick in front of the box due to the Lady Scottie goalie touching the ball outside of the goal box. Madison Henderson drove home the uncontested shot to give the Lady Rebels a 1-0 lead four minutes into the contest.
It would be Todd’s only shot of the half.
Glasgow controlled possession in the first half but misfired on six shots until Botts scored on an indirect kick to tie the game in the 37th minute.
Neither team could solve the other’s defense although Todd had lady luck on its side when two Glasgow shots hit the sidebar and away from the goal.
Glasgow outshot Todd County 13-3 in regulation and overtime. Case made eight saves for the Lady Rebels, who avenged last year’s 1-0 loss to Glasgow in the All-A region championship that snapped Todd’s streak of three straight championships.
Todd County Central will now likely advance directly to the All-A Classic State Tournament next weekend in Frankfort. They were slated to play the Third Region champion in sectional play, but they will likely opt out of sending a team to the state tourney. If that is the case, Todd County will make its first-ever trip to the final four of the girls’ All-A State Tourney.
