The Clear Creek Bobcats defended their soccer title to continue to reign over the Mountain League.
CCMS hosted rival Pickens for the championship last Wednesday, and for the second consecutive season, the Bobcats were crowned champions. While much of the match was played in the midfield, it was Clear Creek who netted the only goal for a 1-0 victory.
“It was so exciting to win another championship and everyone was so happy,” said head coach Aaron Evans. “Some of our starters were back from last year, and we also used some new guys who didn’t start last year. Everyone was thrilled and gave all of their effort and put their bodies on the line.”
The match was played under windy conditions, which altered the trajectory of shots and passes. CCMS played with the wind at its back in the first half and were against it in the second half.
Bobcat fullback Johnathan Perez scored Clear Creek’s goal in the opening half. He struck a 30-yard shot that was not handled cleanly and crossed the goal line.
Rather than bunker down defensively, CCMS continued to play its normal style in the second half, and it proved to be tough to overcome for the Dragons.
“The game was a big battle in the midfield. There weren’t many shots for either team,” Evans said. “Pickens only had one shot on goal all game, and we only had three or four. It came down to our midfielders beating theirs, and if the ball did happen to get past, our defenders were there.”
The match was a stark contrast to when the two met at the start of the season. CCMS won that match easily, 4-1.
“You have to give some credit to Pickens in this championship,” said Evans. “They came ready to play and have improved throughout the season.”
Ahead of the title match, the Bobcats met the Lumpkin County Indians in the semifinals. CCMS dominated possession and dictated the pace of play in a decisive 3-0 win.
However, the outcome was not so clear early on, especially after LCMS was awarded a penalty. Landon Hamby was in net for the Bobcats and made a pivotal save to keep the match scoreless.
CCMS took a 2-0 lead into the break and added a third goal in the second half. Bobcat Deyson Lopez netted a pair of goals, and Brayner Ortiz scored once.
“Lumpkin tried to build up through the midfield, and we were able to successfully narrow our formation to push them out wide,” Evans said.
“Once we did that, they weren’t finding many options and started to get frustrated. They started to play balls over the top, but the defense was ready for that and they weren’t really able to get any shots on goal.”
Evans added, “It’s been a pleasure to get to coach these young men. They’re ready to work at every practice and give it their all when it’s game time. They love to play the game and are always ready. They want to push each other and get better themselves.”
CCMS posted a 7-0-2 overall record and outscored opponents 29-5. CCMS has a 22-1-3 combined record over the past three seasons.