The scenes were near carbon copies of one another: a free kick is awarded, Michaela Bentley rushes to take the kick, the sophomore boots the ball to the far corner of the net before running up the field in celebration.
In a game that highlighted both the Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain High School girls soccer teams’ speed, determination and competitiveness, Bentley’s two strikes made the difference in JDHS’ 2-1 win over their crosstown rival Tuesday night at TMHS.
“It lets all the stress out,” Bentley said of scoring the free kicks, “because its like, ‘OK, we got this now,’ and it just brings the intensity up and brings our attitude up.”
Bentley scored her first goal in the 39th minute and her second in the 46th. The second was kicked from over 30 yards out from the net on a difficult angle near the sideline.
TMHS’ Cierra McCain scored the Falcons’ lone goal, one that arrived in the stoppage time of the first half and less than two minutes after Bentley’s first goal.
“To be honest with you, I didn’t think it was going in and I really do give props to the forward that was playing with me, Krissy (Lockabey), she was right on that back post to make sure it went in,” McCain said.
McCain was close to scoring on several other attempts in the game, including two that ended in collisions with Crimson Bear keeper Shaylin Cesar.
“It was definitely a group effort for us to come together as a team and power through that second half the way that we did,” McCain said. “I feel like we did keep them even in our passing game and they just got a very nice, lucky shot.”
With one game remaining betweent the two sides, JDHS is 2-0-1 against TMHS.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
Thunder Mountain’s Cierra McCain flies over Juneau-Douglas’ goalie Shaylin Cesar on her score in the first half to tie the game at 1-1 at TMHS on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain’s goalkeeper Lannea Sutak grabs a loose ball between teammate Anne Coogan, center, and Juneau-Douglas’ Brianna Jokerst at TMHS on Tuesday, May 9, 2017.(Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain’s Anne Coogan, left, kicks the ball away from Juneau-Douglas’ Brianna Jokerst at TMHS on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas’ Malia Miller, right, attempts to block Thunder Mountain’s Mak Graham at TMHS on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain’s Cierra McCain celebrates her score in the first half to tie the game at 1-1 against Juneau-Douglas at TMHS on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
