It was a memorable week for Kosciusko soccer. The Whippets and Lady Whippets won Region 3-4A without having to take the field, then both teams came from behind to defeat Ridgeland.The Whippets broke a 1-1 halftime tie with three second-half goals for a 4-2 victory. The Lady Whippets overcame a 2-0 deficit at the half for a 3-2 victory on a goal in the final minute.Kosciusko teams were supposed to play at Raymond last week, but coach Greg Cooper received a telephone call just before leaving for the trip south. Raymond was in quarantine.It was the second time that games at Raymond were not played. A month earlier it was because the field was in bad shape.Cooper said Raymond decided to forfeit the scheduled home-and-home games. Since Kosciusko and Raymond are the only schools in the region with soccer teams, the Whippets and Lady Whippets are region champions. Kosciusko will host the second place teams from 2-4A – Pontotoc for the boys and Mooreville for the girls – in the opening round of the MHSAA 4A playoffs, scheduled for Jan. 26.The Lady Whippets came out for the second half against Ridgeland playing aggressive soccer. “We put together a plan at the half that we were not going to just sit back. We were going to attack them,” Cooper said.A free kick by Raven Pernell from just outside the penalty area curled around the defensive wall and into the goal to make it 2-1. Pernell notched the equalizer with an assist from Lanna Lee Nunley.Nunley scored the late game winner, converting a pass from Arissa Olive. “We had shot after shot at their goal,” Cooper said. “It (the ball) kind of bounced out and Arissa went and got it.”She fed Nunley for the goal.Cooper gave credit to the play of his defenders, Olive, Gracie Williams and Emily Pope. “The back line really played well.”BoysThe Whippets fell behind 1-0, but tied the game on a goal by Jon Gant, with an assist from Duntives Fondren.Kosciusko quickly took a 3-1 lead early in the second half on goals by Jorge Orduna, off a corner kick from Will Carter, and Daniel Lindsay, with an assist from Gant. A Carter penalty kick made it 4-1 before Ridgeland scored a late goal.“We had a silly error in the back that set up the last goal,” by Ridgeland, Cooper said.Ridgeland is a 5A school with a strong tradition in the sport. The boys team is the current leader in 3-5A.Kosciusko played Pisgah Tuesday and has road games with Neshoba Central, another 5A school, Saturday.
