Behind an unlikely goal from Wes Griswold, Pillow Academy's boys soccer team defeated Bayou Academy 1-0 Tuesday night at Chazzy Moor Field in the MAIS Division II semifinals and punched its ticket to compete for back-to-back championships on Thursday at Jackson Prep.
“It feels amazing; it really does,” Mustang coach Serafin Simon said, still coursing with adrenaline. “To go back to the ’ship, it’s a really big thing. We’ve been battling the entire season and came from the adversity with all the injuries and everything else, and they finally got to clicking.”
The Mustangs dominated the first half possessing the ball. Kicking the ball back and fourth, the soccer ball pinballed around the field as it bounced from green jersey to green jersey. Bayou, though, brought its stifling defense from Cleveland and held the Mustangs to just a few missed shots on goal.
Pillow’s break came near the 21st minute of the first half when Griswold was set up for a penalty kick. He booted the ball from about 35 yards out and a Bayou defender tried to stop the shot with a kick of his own, but the ball rolled off his foot the wrong way and flew towards Bayou’s net.
The ball hit the Colts’ goalie square in the chest, but he couldn’t hang on to it and the ball popped out and rolled into the net.
“It’s the weather, the ball with the spin because of the rain and everything,” Simon said of the goal. “It plays a factor.”
The Mustangs (15-2) held on and advanced to take on Brookhaven Academy in Thursday’s state championship game, which begins at 4 p.m.
Brookhaven defeated East Rankin Academy 3-2 Monday.
-Contact Jared Conerly at 662-581-7237 or jconerly@gwcommonwealth.com.
