By John Miller (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Springfield, Mo. – For August soccer, Thursday night’s match between Glendale and Ozark was tough to beat.
“Great soccer early in the season,” Ozark coach Tom Davidson said. “That was an awesome game on both sides.”
Glendale out-shot Ozark 17-8 and had nine chances on goal, but barely squeaked by with a 2-1 decision at Glendale High School’s Lowe Stadium.
Logan McDonald and Jeremiah Epps scored goals for Glendale. Lawson Spense scored for Ozark.
Ozark (1-1), which started six sophomores and no seniors, hung tough with Falcons – a team Davidson referred to as perhaps the best team in the area.
“I mean, they’re good. Really good,” he said. “They’re solid. They’ve got all those seniors on the team, so they’re not afraid.”
The Falcons (1-0), which return a bulk of their defense and their keeper Gage Patterson from last year’s district championship team, generated plenty of scoring chances on Thursday but struggled to finish.
“This group … they know how to move the ball well,” Glendale coach Jeff Rogers said. “We’re starting to find the players making the runs. But the finishing … we don’t have a Bobby Spence or a Josh Call. We’re going to have to find some kids who can finish.”
Rogers complimented the play of Garrett Freeman, a converted basketball player who created several scoring opportunities on Thursday. Freeman showcased his speed and ball-control, beating defenders on multiple occasions. He had a few one-on-one battles with Ozark keeper Sean Smith but couldn’t convert.
“Garrett put that one ball off the post,” Rogers said. “He’s a basketball kid with a soccer background. I think he’s going to surprise a lot of teams. He’s physical, and I thought he was one of the better players out there tonight. I’m looking forward to seeing how he develops in the next 20-plus games.”
Glendale took the early lead on Thursday when Ryan Feeney found teammate Logan McDonald on a corner kick in the 30th minute. McDonald’s header gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead at halftime.
In the 60th, the Falcons expanded their lead. Jeremiah Epps slashed around Smith, finding the net on the right side for a 2-0 Glendale lead.
Instead of hanging their heads, Ozark countered. Two minutes after Epps scored, Lawson Spense’s blast zipped into the left side of the net. From there, it was a battle until the final whistle.
“I’m probably most proud of my kids for … we’re down 2-0, and instead of just giving in at that time, we fight back and get one,” Davidson said. “And still, to the last second, we’re all over the goal. I wish a couple of those had dropped early in the first half. We had some good looks. Their goalkeeper made a couple great saves. If one of those drops, it’s a different ballgame. Maybe we’re still playing.”
Ozark kept the pressure on Glendale’s defense until the final whistle. Stopper Gage Patterson and his defensive backline – which features three all-conference players in Mitch Stephens, Thomas Spence, and Mason McDonald – held off the Tigers’ late rally.
“Give Ozark credit,” Rogers said. “I always know what we’re going to get with them. They’re always going to come hard to play. I thought our kids played well tonight. We did some good things. We’re only going to get better from here.”
Glendale 2, Ozark 1
Glendale 1 1 2
Ozark 0 1 1
Goals:
29:26 – GHS – McDonald header, Feeney assist
59:31 – GHS – Epps
61:19 – OHS – Spense
