HUNTSVILLE — A much-improved Clinton team jumped to a 3-0 halftime lead here Tuesday (Sept. 14), then held on for a victory by the same score in a key district match.
Scott High defeated the Dragons 8-1 in last year’s regular season meeting, but Clinton has added several players and has begun to turn around its program. The Dragons scored on a penalty kick early in the game, then put two more goals on the board before the intermission.
It would likely be fair to say that the Lady Highlanders out-played Clinton. In fact, Scott High dominated possession in the second half, and launched shot after shot at the goal. But Clinton made save after save, and Scott High was unable to capitalize on two PKs in the first half.
“We played so hard and so much better in the second half,” Scott High coach Eric Henry said. “I was not disappointed in the effort tonight. We had some breakdowns that caused the goals, but as far as us coming out and playing, we did that. It wasn’t what we hoped for, but the effort was there.”
Henry told his team after back-to-back losses in as many nights to take off Wednesday, then get out and work on their own Thursday to stay loose. The team is prohibited from practicing the rest of the week due to the school switching to virtual learning because of covid.
Gracie King played well upfront in the second half of Tuesday’s game, Henry said. He also credited the play of Rachel Garrett, who moved from defense to midfield at halftime. He also said that Chloe Tucker played well on defense, after moving to the back in the second half.
“She’s the new starting right back, simple as that,” Henry said. “Those other girls will have to work their way back in.”
Henry also credited Olivia Rector’s effort.
“Everybody played better,” he said. “We’re young. At one point we had five freshmen out there. Sophomores and freshmen make up over half of the lineup. I am not an excuse-maker, but we are young.”
