Montgomery County, Bishop Brossart Advance to 10th Region Boys Soccer Championship

There’s a little déjà vu in the 10th Region boys soccer tournament.

Just like last year, Montgomery County faced Campbell County in the 10th Region semifinals, while Bishop Brossart took on Mason County.

And just like last year, Montgomery County and Bishop Brossart both came away with wins Thursday evening at Campbell County High School in Claryville.

Now, the two will face off Saturday at 2 p.m. for a chance to advance to the state tournament.

Neither team had an easy road to the championship.

Here’s how they got there:

Montgomery County 1, Campbell County 1 (Montgomery County advances 4-3 in penalty kicks)

Campbell County found out the hard way that unfamiliar territory can be unforgiving.

The Camels entered Thursday having played all previous 20 games this season without a penalty shootout. When their 10th Region semifinal against Montgomery County remained tied after regulation and overtime, their season came down to a situation they hadn’t faced all year.

Practice could only take the Camels so far. This time, it wasn’t enough.

After the teams played to a 1-1 draw through 80 minutes of regulation and two overtime periods, the match went to penalty kicks. Both teams converted their first two attempts before Montgomery County goalkeeper Charles Hughes saved Campbell’s third. The Indians continued to convert, and Hughes came up with another save on the Camels’ final attempt to seal a 4-3 shootout victory and end Campbell County’s season.

Jackson McGrath dives to make a save during the penalty shootout. Photo provided | Briant Grant

“It’s unfamiliar territory,” Campbell County head coach Kyle Newman said. “You can do it in practice, but you can’t replicate that, and we didn’t. We didn’t have a single penalty shootout all season. The message was, the sky’s not falling, find the back of the net more than they do. Unfortunately, they won more than we did tonight.”

The unfamiliarity extended beyond the penalty spot.

After an injury to starting goalkeeper Casen Barnes, Jackson McGrath, previously a field player, stepped into the role during the final stretch of the season. He recorded three saves Thursday as the Camels battled Montgomery County to a standstill.

“Our keeper was thrown in there,” Newman said. “Nothing but great things to say about Jackson. He was a field player a couple weeks ago and had to step in due to an injury. He got us to this point and stepped into a big role. That’s all we can ask.”

Unfamiliar territory just kept on growing.

Newman had a nickname for his team throughout the season: the “Comeback Camels.”

Thursday, though, the Camels couldn’t find another comeback.

Wesley Schroers gave Campbell County the lead in the 23rd minute, but the advantage lasted only 10 minutes before Montgomery County’s Waylon Stewart equalized off an assist from Colton Martin.

Campbell County senior Wesley Schroers scored the Camels’ lone goal. Photo provided | Briant Grant

The Camels couldn’t find another goal, and the match eventually went to penalty kicks.

“That’s another new territory for us,” Newman said. “This has been the Comeback Camels all year, and this is a game that we’re scratching our heads. We truly did believe we were the best team in the region, but Montgomery outplayed us tonight.”

Campbell County put seven of its 14 shots on goal, it doubled up Montgomery County, who finished with seven shots, four of which were on goal. But Hughes kept coming up with big saves throughout the night, finishing with six before making two more crucial stops in the penalty shootout to send the Indians through to the 10th Region championship game.

For the second straight season, Montgomery County has eliminated Campbell County in the 10th Region semifinals.

Campbell County senior Nate Kelley and junior Greyson Ballinger were named to the 10th Region All-Tournament team.

The Camels finish the season at 11-10 and will graduate nine seniors. However, Campbell County returns their leading goal scorer in Ballinger, who recorded 10 goals this season, along with now two experienced goalkeepers in sophomore Casen Barnes and junior Jackson McGrath.

Bishop Brossart 2, Mason County 1

Bishop Brossart knew how fortunate it was to have two early goals.

After scoring twice in the first 13 minutes, the Mustangs went scoreless for the final 67 minutes but did enough to hold on for a 2-1 win over Mason County.

Almost immediately, Bishop Brossart did exactly what it wanted to do.

Senior Ben Sweeney gave the Mustangs the lead in the sixth minute, and seven minutes later, freshman Anthony Morales doubled the advantage. Senior Luke Neltner assisted on both goals.

The early cushion put Bishop Brossart in a good position, but perhaps too good of one.

“Mason’s a gritty team, they’re tough, and they knew what they were going to need to do to be in the game, and they did it well all game,” Bishop Brossart head coach Donny Bray said. “They eventually got one back, and I don’t know, my keepers just keep your head down. We had to defend to win, and truthfully, it was just going to be the team that wanted it more. At times, it looked like Mason might want it a little more, so I’m just happy that we were able to come out on the end that we did.”

Ben Sweeney put the ‘Stangs on the board first. Photo provided | Lonnie Sweeney

Just one minute after Morales’ goal, Mason County junior Jace Dodson answered with a goal of his own, cutting the deficit to one.

That would be the final goal of the night.

Despite recording 18 shots, nine of which were on goal, the Mustangs couldn’t add to their early advantage.

Even Sweeney, who opened the scoring, recognized the shift in momentum.

“Truthfully, I think the confidence was short-lived,” Sweeney said. “I don’t want to say it turned sloppy, but I think we started playing carefree. We thought we were going to win the game easy because we scored two in the first 15 minutes, and we just came out flat. They got that goal on us, and it was a hit to the gut, and we’re like, ‘Wow, it’s not good now.'”

With the offense unable to find another goal, the Mustangs had to turn their attention to the other side of the field.

Defense.

Just as Sweeney noticed the team lose its edge offensively, the Mustangs had to lock in defensively to preserve the lead.

“Focus,” Sweeney said. “That’s the biggest thing we lost. The focus kept dropping after we scored and then when they scored, but it’s the main goal. It’s the main thing we need the entire game.”

The Mustang defense and goalkeeper Ryan Eldridge, who finished with two saves, limited the Royals to five total shots, three of which were on goal, to preserve the 2-1 victory.

The late Jim Valvano, the legendary North Carolina State men’s basketball coach, helped make the phrase “survive and advance” a popular one and he wasn’t kidding.

That’s exactly what the Mustangs did. Now, their attention turns to Saturday’s championship meeting with Montgomery County, marking Brossart’s fifth consecutive appearance in the 10th Region title game.

“The goal all year was to get back there,” Bray said. “We’re taking the long route each year by losing the district championship and making it back through the region. GRC was no cakewalk, that was an awesome game. We’re just happy to be back there. When you set a goal and you achieve a goal, you know you can be happy for that.”

Brossart will look to defend its 10th Region crown Saturday at 2 p.m. back in Claryville.

INDIANS 2, CAMELS 1 (4-3 in penalty kicks)

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — 1-0 — 1

CAMPBELL COUNTY — 1-0 — 1

Game Stats

Goals: (MC) Stewart 33′ (CC) W. Schroers 23′

Assists: (MC) Martin

Shots (On Goal): Montgomery County 7 (4), Campbell County 14 (7)

Saves: Montgomery County 6 (Hughes), Campbell County 3 (McGrath)

Corner Kicks: Montgomery County 2, Campbell County 2

Fouls: Montgomery County 14, Campbell County 5

Offsides: Montgomery County 1, Campbell County 1