SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. | Scott High stood toe-to-toe with a much-improved Northview Academy team here Tuesday (April 13). In fact, the Highlanders appeared to be the better team for most of the 80-minute match. But an inability to finish on the offensive end of the pitch imperiled Scott High, and Northview scored late to escape with a 2-1 win in the non-district meeting.
Scott High grabbed the lead early on a goal by Skye Babb and never trailed until the final 10 minutes. But Northview Academy, which scored late in the first half to tie the game, put the winning goal on the board in the 71st minute to escape victorious.
The Highlanders had plenty of chances to regain the lead in the second half, and multiple opportunities to tie things up once Northview had taken the lead. But on a night that saw the Highlanders arguably generate more quality looks at the net than they have in a single game all season, Scott struggled to finish those looks, including several one-on-one situations with the Cougars' keeper.
Scott High dominated shots on goal throughout the game. The Highlanders' goal came in the first half on a patient approach by Babb. The junior dribbled past two defenders and stuck the ball into the net for the early lead. Northview tied things up in the final 10 minutes of the first half with a kick from 40 yards out.
The Highlanders were playing the game without two starters in Haiden Blevins and Luke Bowling.
As is too often the case in high school soccer, there were apparent missed calls that may have impacted the outcome. Scott appeared to be deserving of two PKs following what looked like obvious fouls in the box. However, neither was called.
Instead, the Highlanders were awarded two yellow cards for protesting no-calls.
But when Scott High did get a PK, after a Northview handball in the box, the shot sailed wide of the goal, and what was at the time a 1-1 tie remained in place.
The game ended with Scott High attempting a direct kick from just outside the 18, which sailed just high of the crossbar in a last-ditch effort to force a tie.
For the Highlanders, it remains a season of near-misses. Scott was coming off an overtime loss at Clinton in a district match on Friday. The Highlanders will host Kingston on Thursday. Every District 5-AA game this season has gone to overtime. A win Thursday could potentially lift the Highlanders to a regular season district championship.
