Soccer?s streak snapped at home – Cookeville hands WCHS 1st league loss

The Warren County High School boys soccer team?s undefeated District 7-AAA record was derailed Tuesday night by the Cookeville Cavaliers.

Warren County entered the game with a perfect 5-0 mark in district play, but the Cavaliers scored on a penalty kick late in the second half to hand Warren County a 4-3 loss at the WCHS field.

Warren County is now 5-1 in district play and 8-2 on the season with five games left on the schedule.

The two evenly matched teams battled it out from the opening whistle. Warren County took the opening possession and drove down the middle of the field, where Honest Merma fought his way between two Cookeville defenders and scored 49 seconds into the game.

After playing the ball at midfield, Warren County was awarded a free kick at the 36:48 mark. The Cavaliers picked off the ball drove it downfield, where Stephen Sherfy fired a shot at goal. Warren County?s keeper Tucker Chastain deflected the ball over the net keeping Cookeville off the board.

But Cookeville regained possession and took a corner kick. Cookeville tied the game at 1-1 when Chris Sloan slipped the ball in the back of the net off the corner-kick at the 34:46 mark.

For the rest of the first half Cookeville dominated possession with four attempts at goal. Warren County managed one solid attempt at goal when Tony Garbaldi fired a shot, but it missed left of the net. With 10:56 left in the half, the Cavaliers Jeffrey Callahan drove the ball past Chastain to give Cookeville a 2-1 lead just before the half.

Cookeville took seven shots and six corner kicks in the half, while Warren County had three attempts and one corner kick.

In the second half the Pioneers played more aggressive on both ends of the field. Warren County started to control the tempo of the game, which resulted in the offense having more opportunities to make a run at goal.

Cody Cowans tied the game up at 2-2 when his shot bounced off a Cookeville defender and found the net at the 28:53 mark.

But the two teams kept battling it out much like a heavy-weight fight and the Cavaliers answered three minutes later with a goal from Beko Zekic to take a 3-2 lead.

Cookeville extended its lead when Will Putman scored on a penalty kick, putting the Cavaliers up 4-2. Two minutes later Garibaldi took a penalty kick and hit the top left corner of the net pulling Warren County within one with 12 minutes to play.

For the final 10-minutes Cookeville spread the field and moved the ball making it hard for Warren County?s offense to have any opportunity to score. The Pioneers had one last chance to tie the game, but Cowans? kick didn?t have a chance as Cookeville held on for the win.

The Pioneers had seven attempts and three corner kicks in the second half, while Cookeville had five shots and six corner kicks.

The Pioneers will be back in action today to take on Livingston Academy at home.