Lady Devils upset Camden, Devils finish region 6-0

Published 3:00 pm Saturday, April 9, 2022

TIFTON — Tift County celebrated its Region 1-7A boys soccer championship with a second undefeated slate Friday night, but the bigger win belonged to the Lady Devils.

They defeated Camden County, 2-1, in the penalty kick round of overtime. Two days earlier, the same Camden team mercy ruled them, 10-0. The boys won, 1-0. The Camden contests wrapped up the regular season.

“We were not ready to play when we went over there on Wednesday,” said head coach Sherri Constable. Playoffs were already set going into the season finale, so Constable said she talked to the team about using this game to prepare for state.

The Lady Wildcats scored a goal late in the 1st half, but found themselves stonewalled by Tift’s defense. Constable said the players chose a new formation for the rematch.

“They decided they wanted to play it,” she said. “We went a little more defensive.”

It worked.

Diana Reducindo made two quick saves to start the 2nd half, one a diving effort on a free kick. Then, the match changed feeling.

Ten minutes into the half, Kaylen  put a free kick on frame. Camden’s keeper tipped the ball, but could not corral it. It rattled around in front of the net until Caroline Dotson hammered the rebound home, tying the game at 1-1.

“Kaylen was very key tonight,” she said of Andrews’ work on both ends of the pitch.

Laura Kate Wright had a shot saved later in the period. Andrews had another solid free kick in the last 90 seconds. That turned into a corner kick when Camden could not clear, but Tift was not able to add a late score.

The overtime sessions saw Reducindo make more saves as the Lady Devils had to stay on their heels. The score was still tied after the second 10-minute session, forcing the penalty kick round.

Camden shot first and Reducindo made a tip save and fell on the rebound. The Lady ‘Cats similarly denied Tift.

“When (Reducindo) stopped the first one, we were good,” said Constable. “We practice those every day.”

Camden scored on the second kick, with Kim Sanchez hitting the right corner to make it 1-1. It was 2-2 after the third round, both Camden and Andrews accurate. The fourth shooters for each team were high on attempts, setting up a dramatic final round.

The Lady Wildcats shot went off the left post, no good. Gigi Elizalde stepped up and made the shot, sending her running back to teammates and a dogpile of players celebrating on the field.

DEVILS 1, CAMDEN 0

Jayden Arzola cleaned up a rebound 27 minutes into the 1st half, an opportunity set up by a corner kick.

That was the only goal Tift scored in the contest and it was the only goal they needed. Head coach Bobby Earls said the team made big defensive stands throughout the night.

“That’s important going forward,” he said. “We can have a little ‘bend, but not break’ defense.”

Camden had a final fury in the last eight minutes. The Devils cleared and headed for the corner as the last precious seconds ticked away.

“It’s a good way to end the regular season,” Earls said.

Following the match, assistant coach Caleb Dawson handed out the region championship T-shirts as Queen’s “We Are the Champions” played over the loudspeakers. This is the second straight season Tift finished a perfect 6-0 in Region 1-7A.

Earls loves working with the players. “They’re fun to be around,” he said.

Playoffs begin Tuesday for state soccer.

The Lady Devils travel to Harrison (15-3-0) for the first round. The Devils will be home Wednesday at 6 p.m. to face Marietta (5-11-0). Tift (14-1-1) has already faced and defeated Marietta, 3-2, during their annual Atlanta trip.