Semoball

Gordon's last-minute goal lifts Sikeston over Carbondale

Sikeston celebrates after scoring a goal with 41.6 seconds remaining in regulation in a 1-0 win over Carbondale (Ill.) at the Sports Complex on Thursday, Sep. 15. (Dennis Marshall/Standard/Democrat)

SIKESTON — The Sikeston boys soccer team earned a dramatic 1-0 win over Carbondale (Ill.) at the Sports Complex on Thursday, Sep. 15.

The game was a defensive battle from the outset and remained scoreless until Brice Gordon scored the game-deciding goal with just 41.6 seconds remaining in regulation.

“Our guys smelled the blood in the water,” said Sikeston coach Gabe Dement. “They didn’t want to go to overtime. We just kept pressing, hoping someone would be in the right place at the right time, and that’s what happened in the end. It was a battle with both teams playing a clean game.

Sikeston's Christian Parker looks for a teammates during a 1-0 win over Carbondale (Ill.) at the Sports Complex on Thursday, Sep. 15. (Dennis Marshall/Standard/Democrat)

“[Gordon] has scored many important goals for us over his four years, and that was a big one there.”

The defense shined for both teams in the first half, with the Terriers (4-7) holding a slight possession advantage throughout.

“They had the ball more and had a few more chances than we did,” Dement said. “And we didn’t really test their goalie a lot in that timeframe.”

Sikeston's Josh McClendon shoots during a 1-0 win over Carbondale (Ill.) at the Sports Complex on Thursday, Sep. 15. (Dennis Marshall/Standard/Democrat)

Bulldogs’ goalie John Martin Boner was tested and made two impressive game-altering saves in the first half.

“Had [Boner] not been ready for those, then we probably have a different conservation,” Dement said. “They were outstanding shots that he made even better saves on.”

The Sikeston (5-5) defense was even more vigorous in the second half.

Sikeston's Heath Poindexter races past a defender a 1-0 win over Carbondale (Ill.) at the Sports Complex on Thursday, Sep. 15. (Dennis Marshall/Standard/Democrat)

The Bulldogs started to press up the field a little higher. Its defenders moved up and locked the ball into their field side. The team also did an excellent job of keeping the Terriers out of the box and forcing them to take deeper and more contested shots in the second half.

“Our defenders played smarter when it came to containing and stopped reaching,” Dement said. “When you reach against a player with good dribbling skills, he will go around.”

Sikeston was also crispier on offense, getting the ball into the box more by trying to find more passes that led to easier opportunities.

Sikeston's Will Sims clears the ball during a 1-0 win over Carbondale (Ill.) at the Sports Complex on Thursday, Sep. 15. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

“We played well throughout the whole game but stepped up in the second half,” Boner said. “Our defense bent a little bit but never broke, and our offense came through at the end. We didn’t come out ready and had to find a rhythm. But we came out differently in the second half, which changed our game.”

Boner finished the game with eight saves and earned his third shutout of the season.

“We played as a family, and that’s how we won,” he said.

The intensity could be felt in the air during the last couple of hectic and chaotic minutes, but it was in these instances when the Bulldogs were at their best.

“We were pushing to win the game,” Dement said. “We were the aggressor in those moments. We had the ball locked in and didn’t allow any chances.”

Some of the other standouts from Sikeston were Christian Parker, Carter Grimes and Timothy Do.

Dement said each played one of their best games.

“[Parker] distributed the well and was smart off the dribble,” Dement said. “[Grimes] has been up-and-down with his aggressor level, but today it came out, and that was fun to see. Also [Do] earned his first varsity assist on the game-winner. He got a touch on the ball to create [Gordon’s] clutch finish.”

Sikeston is on the road at Saxony Lutheran (6-3) on Monday, Sep. 19.

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