The Kosciusko boys’ and girls’ soccer teams got off to a good start in Region 4-4A play, each with a 7-0 victory over Louisville.
Will Carter and Jon Gant each had three goals for the Whippets. Carter also had two assists and Gant had one, Dan Lindsay had a goal and Jorge Orduna two assists.
“Louisville played defensively,” Coach Greg Cooper said. “We had to be patient in everything we did. We were able to find the break downs in their defense.”
For the Lady Whippets, Raven Pernell had two goals, Lanna Nunley, Mary Patton Henderson, Gracie Singletary, Arissa Olive and Presley Fulgham one each. Singletary assisted on two goals, Henderson and Pernell on one each.
Kosciusko dominated play, with the ball in the offensive end most of the time.
“They (Louisville) were dropping people back, so we had to find the gaps and we did a really good job at that,” Cooper said.
Earlier in the week, both teams were blanked by Starkville, a 6A school with a strong soccer tradition. It was 3-0 for the girls and 6-0 for the boys.
Cooper said the 3-0 score was not indicative on how well the Lady Whippets plays. One of the Starkville goals came on a penalty kick both coaches felt should not have been awarded.
“Overall, I felt the team played really well,” said the coach.
Alexandra West was credited with about 29 saves in goal Cooper said.
“She was really strong,” according to Cooper.
He gave credit to the strength of the Starkville boys.
“There were a few saves we should have made. But that is what it is. They're continuing to learn,” he said.
Starkville is the state's eighth ranked team according to the website MaxPreps.
The Whippets and Lady Whippets continued region play with games against Choctaw Central Tuesday and will host West Lauderdale Friday.
