By: JoAnna Gunnufsen
Staff Reporter
After a few weeks of preparing for their division games, the Oak Grove soccer teams are proving to be fierce competition. Both varsity teams dominated their Hattiesburg High School opponents on November 29th in the first division game of the promising season.
Kyle Roblin (#3) boots a ball out of trouble as Brooks Becton (#2) and Mauricio Hernandez (#9) look on in a recent match against Biloxi. / Submitted Photo
The varsity girls’ team started off the night with a 7-0 win against the Tigers. Despite the freezing temperatures, the girls remained focused. Freshman Isabella McVeagh, sophomore Ashley Bryant, and junior Suzanne Copeland each scored a goal for the Warriors. To add even more to the scoreboard, sophomore Kayleigh Henry and senior Kayla Stricker both scored twice over the course of the game.
After the first win of the evening, the varsity boys took the field. Junior Kyle Roblin, senior Josh Hinton, and senior Nathan Tavai each scored in the first half, giving the Warriors a three-point advantage over the Tigers.
In the second half, Nathan Tavai continued to make his way past the Tigers’ defense to score three more goals for the team. Already six points ahead, the Warriors weren’t about to let the Tigers show up on the scoreboard. Sophomore Andrew Glaze and junior Jakob Muller added to the Warriors’ victory and scored two more points in the opening of the second half. At the end of the game, the varsity boys won 8-0.
However, this isn’t the first game the Warriors have played so far. Both teams recently had a strong showing against Poplarville at the November 14th home game. The girls’ team defeated their opponents 4-0, and the boys’ team claimed a 6-0 win.
This year, the soccer teams host a wide range of talent among their players. Despite the amount of individual skill, the players have been focusing on another important key to their success: teamwork. Senior Brooks Becton said, “We have a really strong group of guys who have played together for years. We all get along well, which is something we couldn’t say in the previous years.” The varsity girls have also been focusing on working together. “We have spent time getting to know each other because there are so many new girls on the team. It’s going to help us have a good season,” senior Olivia Shook said.
Fans of Oak Grove soccer can look forward to another exciting home game on Friday, December 16th. The varsity boys’ and girls’ teams will face Petal in the fourth division game of the season.
