By Pat Dailey (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
BRANSON — As some of Jadyn Easley’s Ozark teammates danced to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” at halftime Tuesday, she stood at midfield next to the game ball with her arms crossed and a stoic look on her face.
“I was tired of it being 0-0 and was focused for the second half,” the junior forward said.
“Jadyn wasn’t dancing because we had told her she had a five-minute time limit to score in the second half,” Lady Tigers assistant Hayley Hunter said.
Easley responded to her own restlessness and her coaches’ challenge by indeed scoring within the first five minutes of the second half to trigger Ozark’s 2-0 triumph over Branson.
“She was definitely anxious for the second half to start,” Lady Tigers coach Chris Shull said. “I love her grit. Jadyn always wants to score and be part of every play.”
After a first goal for the Lady Tigers had proven ever so elusive against Branson keeper Lauren Garrison, Easley received a pass from Keeley Combs and found herself all by her lonesome on her way to an uncontested goal.
“I looked up, saw an open lane and knew it was time to take it,” Easley said. “I ran as fast as I could and found a sliver (of an opening) in the goal and tried to place it there.”
Up until that point, Garrison had deflected repeated shots on goal by Ozark
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“She was tough to get around,” Easley said. “She took very good angles to make the goal smaller. It was hard to find spots in the goal that were open. She’s also very physical.”
“Lauren was phenomenal,” Branson coach Brandon Scott said. “She keeps us in games and gives us opportunities. She’s locked in and a one of a kind athlete.”
Ozark padded its lead with 10 minutes to play on a goal by Combs. She drilled a perfect kick from 30 yards out inside a top corner of the goal and over the outstretched arms of Garrison.
“She can certainly hit it,” Shull said of his midfielder. “She’s one of the best utility players I’ve ever coached. She’s very versatile.”
The Lady Tigers, who have six shutouts, kept the ball on their side of the field the great majority of the second half.
“We are a very possession-oriented team,” Easley said. “We have a lot of girls who are good at keeping the ball on the ground and working through passes. We do a good job of keeping the other team chasing us.”
“I liked our girls’ pressure,” Shull said. “We had some girls in different positions. It’s always neat when you play a girl in a different position and you have no idea if it will work out or not and then they step up and surprise you.”
Scott took consolation in the fact this was as close a contest as Branson (7-4) has ever given Ozark.
“We put ourselves in a ballgame that we used to not be in,” Scott said. “We had a free kick and a couple other opportunities that we let slip away. If we would have taken advantage of those, it would have been a 1-1 game.”
Easley, who has committed to Mizzou, and Combs, who has committed to Drury, are among four Ozark juniors who have already verbaled to the colleges of their choice.
“I don’t even know what I’m going to eat for dinner tonight and I’m a grown man,” Shull said. “These girls are only 16 or 17 years old, but they have reached their goals.”
“We all did the recruiting process early,” Easley said. “For me, I knew where I wanted to go because that’s where my family went. Mizzou has always been a big part of my life and I think the other girls wanted to stay close to home so Drury and Evangel are the best spots for them. It was an easy decision all-around for us.”
