The Lady Jackets’ varsity soccer team got its first taste of 30th District play Wednesday, Aug. 19, and the Yellow Jackets made the most of it.
Despite playing with a roster depleted by injuries, Woodford opened district play with a 4-0 win over Anderson County in Lawrenceburg, getting goals from three different players while keeping the Bearcats off the scoreboard.
“The Anderson win was huge,” Woodford coach Brandon Cummons said. “With all we have been dealing with due to injuries, it was important to get things going, and Annastyn (McIntosh) scored in the opening minute to calm everyone down and allow us to play our game.”
McIntosh’s early goal got the Jackets going before Sacoyia Garcia scored twice and Erin Myers added a goal of her own.
McIntosh also added an assist, while Anna Dorough helped set up two scores.
At the other end of the field, goalkeeper Emma Dorsey had a relatively quiet night. Woodford’s defense limited Anderson County’s opportunities throughout the game, with Dorsey needing to make just one save to preserve the shutout.
The win gave Woodford a 1-0 start in district play, an important early result for a team currently navigating a growing injury list. Six varsity players are currently sidelined with various injuries.
The injuries have forced Cummons to shuffle his lineup and ask players to take on unfamiliar roles.
“A lot of kids are playing in positions they have never played before, but they stepped up for us,” Cummons said.
After taking care of its first district test, Woodford faced a considerably different challenge just two days later.
The Jackets traveled to Central Hardin on Friday, Aug. 21, where they faced the No. 2-ranked Bruins and suffered their first loss of the season, 4-0.
Central Hardin jumped in front with three goals in the first half before adding another after halftime.
Dorsey, who needed to make just one save against Anderson County, was much busier against the Bruins. The goalkeeper finished with 10 saves as Central Hardin kept the pressure on the Woodford defense throughout the match.
“This team could make every excuse in the book,” Cummons said. “Friday was sluggish, and we know we can’t do that against a team like Central Hardin.”
But with so many players being asked to fill new roles, Cummons sees value in putting his team in difficult situations against some of the state’s best competition.
“We’ve got kids getting experience against teams that make you play under pressure,” Cummons said. “It’s invaluable. It’s forced my hand to start trusting players sooner. Many of the girls are taking these new opportunities and running with them. I played several players out of position and they handled it.”
The difficult weekend continued Saturday when Woodford faced No. 1-ranked Sacred Heart, the back-to-back defending state champion.
The Valkyries came away with a 4-1 win, but the Jackets were able to break through against the state’s top-ranked team.
Afton Hall scored Woodford’s lone goal, with Myers picking up the assist.
Dorsey was again busy in goal. One day after making 10 saves against Central Hardin, she stopped 12 shots against Sacred Heart while allowing four goals. In all, Dorsey recorded 22 saves in the two matches against the state’s top two ranked teams.
Cummons came away from the loss encouraged by the fight his shorthanded team showed against the defending champions.
“I was so proud of the effort,” Cummons said. “They could have quit, but they fought the top team in the state so dang hard.”
The back-to-back losses came against two teams that Cummons expects to be playing deep into the postseason.
“Those two teams are probably fighting it out for the state title for sure,” he said.
Woodford now looks to back-to-back district games against Spencer and Shelby County over the next week.