By Nolan Epstein (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Coming in victors of their last five contests, the Fair Grove Eagles (8-4-1) ensured they would keep their winning streak alive on Tuesday – seizing a tough 2-1 win over New Covenant Academy (7-4-3) in Springfield.
It wasn’t hard to find the hero in the 80-minute battle as senior Garret Potter scored both goals for the Eagles. Potter, who holds the team lead in assists, took on more of an attacking mindset as primary scoring threat Maicol Newkirk was “a little banged up” during the match, according to head coach Joseph Florez.
“Garret had to kind of take a different role,” Florez said. “He’s good at stepping up when you need him to step up. He’s a mentally tough kid. You need seniors like that and he’s one of those seniors.”
Potter found the back of the net for the first time on the night at the 27:31 mark of the first half, breaking the scoreless tie. After a rather quiet remainder of the period for both teams, it was New Covenant’s turn to answer as junior forward Stephen Burgess tied the game in the 54th minute.
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With unseasonably warm temperatures and a nearly 90-degree reading at game time, Florez realized that fatigue was kicking in fast – and somebody was going to have to step up for his squad one more time in the Ozarks heat.
“Both teams were exhausted, at least we sure were,” said Florez after the win. “We just had to kind of try to find a way to sneak a late goal.”
Fair Grove got just what it was looking for as Potter came through in the clutch once more – rifling a ball into an open net as New Covenant keeper Ryan Rodgers was out of position following a scramble at point-blank range.
The goal, coming with just 11:31 to play in the game, proved to be all that the Eagles needed the rest of the way.
“Joe (Florez) has a great team,” said NCA head coach Eric Crain. “They’re just really good players and they know how to find the back of the net. Those are always worries when we play Fair Grove.”
After the game, Potter wasted no time in pinpointing just how he felt on the pitch from the opening kick to the final whistle.
“Very fast, very fast,” he said. “I felt the fastest that I’ve been this season and I felt like I had control of the ball a lot better than I have.”
This certainly comes as great news to an Eagles team that’s clicking at the right time after a sluggish 2-4-1 start through its first seven games.
“We were pretty inconsistent at the beginning of the season,” added Potter. “Going on six wins right now, we’re pretty high.”
Both teams resume action on Thursday as Fair Grove will try to make it seven straight when it takes on Thomas Jefferson Independent in Joplin, while New Covenant travels to face district foe College Heights Christian.
