Boys drop match to Sheridan; girls remain winless against Rochester

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Taylor High School hosted a girls/boys soccer double header on Sept. 16 with disappointing results. The boys faced off against Sheridan in the early game, falling 3-2. The girls' match followed, with Taylor suffering a heart-breaking 1-0 loss to Rochester.

In the early game, the boys' team started strong against the visiting Blackhawks. Two goals in the first half by junior Eli O'Neal and freshman Keaton Wiley gave the Titans a 2-1 lead at the break.

Unfortunately, Taylor's defense couldn't hold off Sheridan. The visitors put two balls in the net in the second half to walk away with the win.

The game was filled with scoring attempts as both teams zeroed in on the goals. Sheridan got off 11 shots on goal, and junior goaltender Jonoah Trueblood fended off eight of them.

On the other end of the pitch, five different Titans sized up the net, making six shots on goal. Junior Kaleb Bentley and seniors Landon Wiley and Carlos Hinojosa were unsuccessful in their scoring bids.

The girls' match was a nail-biter. The Lady Titans kept the visiting Lady Zebras off the scoreboard for most of the evening, thanks to sophomore Trinity Calvert standing in the net. She saved eight shots on goal, including a penalty kick. But an early goal by Rochester couldn't be answered by Taylor.

Getting a clear look at the goal seemed to be the Lady Titans' major difficulty. They managed just three shots on goal across 80 minutes. Seniors Jayla Preston (1) and Sheyli Nieves (2) got off the only kicks the team could manage, without success.

The loss dropped the boys' team to 5-5 on the season. It later faced Blackford on the road for a 5-1 win on Sept. 17 before dropping a 5-0 contest at Eastbrook. They now sit at 6-6 and will host Culver Academy (0-6) on Sat., Sept. 28.

The Lady Titans are enduring a season of futility. The loss to Rochester kept them winless at 0-4-1, but the girls went on to drop matches to North Miami, Eastbrook, and Maconaquah. The Sept. 26 contest against Anderson did not have a score reported by publication deadline. The girls' next face Culver Academy (10-2) at home on Sat., Sept. 28.

See additional photos from these matches, courtesy of Adam Hartsough, by visiting Lantern's Facebook page or group.