Pioneers clip Cavaliers, 1-0
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Tony Garibaldi’s second-half goal was the only score of the contest, which featured both team’s defenses battling around midfield for the bulk of the 80 minutes.
“We played with a lot of guts and determination tonight,” said coach Keith Hamilton, whose squad improved to 4-3-1 overall and 3-0-1 in District 7-AAA competition.
“This is the kind of effort we need to have every night.”
Davey Britton, who had come through with some big saves to help keep the first half scoreless, got some key help from his sweeper teammates in the game’s final 40 minutes.
Garibaldi’s game-winning goal came with just under 20 minutes to play, as he took a pass from the left side and fired a low shot past Cookeville keeper Chuck Acheson.
The Pioneers had two more strong opportunities to score in the second half. With around 10 minutes to go, Cody Cowans got the ball on a breakaway, but was taken down in the box, leading to a Pioneer penalty kick. The shot clanged off the right goalpost, however, preventing WCHS from extending its lead.
Garibaldi took a pass from Oscar Rodriguez with less than eight minutes left, but his attempt at a second goal skipped over the crossbar.
Only once did the Cavaliers (3-6-1) slip a goal past the Pioneer keeper, as Ben Anderson fired a breakaway shot out of reach of Britton’s attempt at a diving save. But a whistle for offsides on the play negated the goal, and the Pioneers held on for the final three minutes of the contest to seal the narrow victory.
Britton finished with eight saves on the night.
“We really out-played them in the second half,” Hamilton said. “Defensively, we took charge of the game. We got some good play out of some guys who normally don’t get a lot of playing time, and I’m really proud of those guys.”
The Pioneers were scheduled to take on Lebanon at home Thursday night.