Ask, and ye shall receive.
Friday night was about getting a chance at West Lauderdale for a third time. Kennedy Parish earned Northeast Jones girls soccer team the opportunity Friday night in the second round of the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs. The midfielder’s goal in the 78th minute pushed the Lady Tigers over Caledonia 3-2 and sets up a 4A North State Championship vs. West Lauderdale next Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m.
Northeast Jones head coach Matt Reid wasn’t pleased with his team’s performance at times Friday night but was happy to get the win.
“In the playoffs mode we always talk about ‘survive and advance,'” said Reid. “It doesn’t matter necessarily how pretty it is, even though I wish it were prettier than it was tonight. I was the ugliest game we’ve played all year. Maybe we got that out of our system before next week. I don’t know. But at the end of the day, we’re 80 minutes away from making it to the state championships. And that is what they wanted all year.
“It was our goal this year to get West Lauderdale for a third time. And we’re going to get that chance in the North State Championship.”
Northeast Jones missed opportunities all night. Finally, after several missed shots in the box, senior forward and JCJC commit Esmo Figueroa put the Lady Tigers up 1-0 on goal No. 52 of her senior season in the 18th minute.
Unlike Northeast Jones, Caledonia didn’t get as many opportunities in the box. On a rare opportunity in the 59th, the Lady Confederates made good on one, equalizing the game at one apiece.
“It was a severely off night for us,” Reid added. “We are much better than this. But I’m proud of our girls in how they finished.”
After a foul just outside the box by Caledonia’s keeper in the 78th minute, Northeast Jones was awarded a free-kick. Parish seized the opportunity by tucking her kick inside the top right side of the goal as a host of Northeast Jones players converged towards Parish in celebration.
Northeast Jones held on in the remaining two minutes of play to advance to the Class 4A North State Championship for a third meeting vs. West Lauderdale – a Region 5-4A foe.
“West Lauderdale is very well coached,” said Reid. “They’re good all over the field. It’s hard to look at their team and find any weaknesses. They play really well, and they are good at what they do.
“But we are going to go to work this weekend and get ready for them.”
