It’s not over until the clock runs out and that’s exactly what the Tallassee boys soccer team showcased on Friday against Elmore County.
The Panthers were in the lead for the majority of the night, even jumping out to a 2-0 lead over the Tigers midway through the first half. Slowly but surely, the Tigers mounted their comeback with Neely Payne nailing the game-winning goal with just a minute left.
“Anytime you're playing your rival, things are going to be intense, and both sides want to win,” Tallassee coach Matt Tarpley said. “Credit to Elmore County, they got a really good team, and they played really hard and really well tonight. But our boys, we haven't lost Elmore County in four or five years. They didn't want to lose tonight. They got a little inspiration from their fallen teammate. The boys just had a never-quit attitude, as you can tell, getting that clinching game-winner with a minute to go. It's a real testament to them and how hard these boys are gonna fight.”
Another aspect that stood out in the Tigers’ comeback was the four goals came from four different players, none of whom were leading goal scorer Irvin Delfin. Payne, Rush Wright, Yuren Rodriguez and Lewis Mosely all got involved in the scoring department which shows how loaded of a squad the Tigers have.
“I think it just speaks to the depth that we have,” Tarpley said. “We've got a lot of really talented guys. Irvin, obviously, is a step above everybody, but the supporting cast around him is really talented, and they're able to step up anytime.”
On the girls side, Tallassee couldn’t come away with the win, losing to Elmore County 4-0.
The Panthers held control for most of the game, scoring goals early in both the first and second half of the game. However, Tarpley keyed in on his team’s ability to make in-game adjustments as a shining spot for the team.
“EC has got a really, really talented girls team, a lot of young talent on that team,” Tarpley said. “I'm low-key envious of their talent, but I was happy with our performance. We gave up two quick goals in the first 10 minutes of that first half, but then for the next 30 minutes, we held them scoreless, and we kind of found our footing and settled in. And I thought we had a pretty good half. The second half was kind of a repeat of the first; they got two goals, and then we found our footing and settled in.”
He praised his goalkeeper and typical striker Aubrey Paggett for her selfless act to take over in goal after an injury to the starting goalkeeper.
“I’m really proud of Aubrey Pagget; she's our starting striker, but we were without a goalie tonight,” Tarpley said. “She stepped in, volunteered, said she'd be happy to step in and do that job, and couldn't be proud of her and appreciate all that she does for us.”
The main goal Tarpley has for his girls is to play as a unit rather than individuals. He knows they play their best ball when they do it together to move the ball down the field.
“We're so much better when we combine, rather than being a one-man show,” Tarpley “We've got some talented players, and at times they like to do things on their own, and I need those players to trust their teammates and play within the system. It's so much easier to play with 11 than it is to play by yourself.”