SSCC Battles to a Double OT Draw with Hiwassee - Official whistles 45 fouls and issues three red cards

The Southern State Men’s Soccer team closed out the 2004 season with a 1-1 tie against Hiwassee on Saturday, October 23^rd in a game marred by fouls and red cards.  The game was extremely hard fought with the official whistling 20 fouls on SSCC and 25 fouls on Hiwassee.  He would also issue three red cards and 6 yellow cards during the game.   

SSCC opened the game by effectively shutting down any type of offense by Hiwassee.  In fact SSCC packed the defense for the first fifteen minutes of play before going on the offensive attack.  The Patriots then shifted into their attack and it paid off just 20 minutes into the half when Tim Roy (Eastern Brown H.S.) raced through the Hiwassee defense to direct a cornerkick from Matt Morris (Lynchburg H.S.) past the goalkeeper. 

Hiwassee’s frustration was evident, as the game became very physical.  The Patriots were executing their game plan perfectly, leading 1-0 and limiting Hiwassee to just one shot when the overconfident Patriots surrendered a goal.  With the score locked at 1-1 the real trouble would strike SSCC when Joel Green (Ripley H.S.) was red carded for a tripping foul. 

“The red card just shocked every one.  The foul was not violent.  It wasn’t even intentional!” commented SSCC Assistant Coach Jeff Thoroman. 

“With as many cards as the official threw, you would have thought we had a bench clearing brawl.  We haven’t had a red card all year.  We are not a dirty team” commented SSCC Assistant Coach John Weber.

With the game deadlocked at 1-1, both teams battled, sometimes brutally, for the lead.  Neither team could find a rhythm as the officiating continued to be inconsistent for the remainder of the game. 

Fifteen minutes into the second half a Hiwassee player was red carded.  Before the Patriots could take advantage of the even playing field, the Patriots’ Sinjen Miller was hit with a red card.  The remainder of the game and both overtime periods, 45 minutes of action, would be completed with SSCC fielding just 9 players and Hiwassee fielding 10.

“The guys played hard today.  Josh Creech (Western Brown H.S.), Timmy Roy, Jason Iles (Fayetteville H.S.), Robby Eldridge (Lynchburg H.S.), Donavon Jenkins (Zane Trace H.S.), and Clint Lovely (Unioto H.S.), gave everything they had today.  It would have been great to see what would have happened if Hiwassee wouldn’t have had an extra player three-fourths of the game” stated SSCC Head Coach, Josh Thoroman.