Watch a replay the Ford Game of the Week: OSSAA 5A Boys and Girls Soccer State Championships – Friday, May 10th.
Friday, May 10th – 6:00pm CDT
5A Girls
Booker T. Washington vs. Bishop Kelley
Booker T. Washington scored five goals in the second half, overcoming a 1-0 halftime deficit to secure back-to-back 5A state championships.
Bella Lusk finished off a beautiful through ball with a flawless left-foot strike in the first half to give Bishop Kelley a 1-0 lead. Considering the team’s 10-0 semifinals win, and Booker T. Washington’s listless offensive game in the first half, it was enough to make supporters of the defending state champs nervous.
But the Hornets made their intentions clear after the break, as Zoe Athens headed in the equalizer just seconds into the second half. Athens’ header came off an aggressive individual move and shot from Grace Pettet that resulted in a scramble for the ball in front of the net.
Arkansas signee Ashton Gordon sent a curling free kick into the back of the net in the 59th minute to give Booker T. Washington a 3-1 lead.
After narrowly missing a free kick that would’ve drawn it within 4-3 with 5:44 left, Bishop Kelley got within one goal with 39 seconds left. But the Hornets, not content to run out the clock, kicked home one final goal with 12 seconds left to account for the 5-3 score.
Carrington Bridges scored two goals for Booker T. Washington in the win.
Friday, May 10th – 8:00pm CDT
5A Boys
Northwest Classen vs. Bishop Kelley
A short-handed Bishop Kelley outscored Northwest Classen, 2-0, to claim a third consecutive 5A state championship late Friday night.
The Comets were the aggressors early, but squandered several good scoring chances. Northwest Classen then seized momentum and appeared to be the more organized side late in the first half.
That’s when Jack Barkley, arguably Bishop Kelley’s best player, picked up a red card on a late slide tackle in the 37th minute.
Playing 10 v. 11 for the rest of the game, the Comets asserted themselves as soon as the second half began.
A Bishop Kelley header attempt in the 51st minute floated well above the crossbar seemingly untouched. But the referee awarded the Comets a corner kick. Cooper King took advantage of a picturesque cross by Parker Harrigill, rocketing the checkered ball into the back of the net to give his squad a 1-0 lead.
Later in the half, off another cross from the left corner, Austin Rodgers’ flying right foot intervened for a goal as the Northwest Classen keeper and a defender stood idly waiting on the ball to arrive.
Bishop Kelley keeper Brennan Whalen played a brilliant game.
In the 55th minute, Daniel Vargas planted his foot just inside the box and sent a close-range laser that Whalen dove to corral.
In the 58th minute, Whalen erased a botched clear by a pair of Bishop Kelley defenders, sprinting out to cover the ball just before Vargas could deploy a shot.
In the 63rd minute, Northwest Classen had a goal nullified due to interference, as a player bumped into the keeper just as the ball trickled over the keeper’s outstretched hands and into the net.
And in the 70th minute, Northwest Classen had a pair of dangerous corner kicks that Whalen played expertly.
Highlights of Both Games:
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