HUNTSVILLE | Scott High put three goals on the board in the first half and rode that advantage to a 3-0 win over Campbell County in a non-district match here Thursday.
The Highlanders, who had opened the season with a 2-2 tie against Stone Memorial, got in the win column for the first time in 2023 with the win, as they prepare for a two-week stretch of games that will be played away from the friendly confines of John John Yancey Memorial Park.
Toby Garrett, Skye Babb and Peyton Smith each scored goals for the Highlanders, and Adrian Parra earned the shutout in the goal in what was a chippy game almost from the start that left both coaches pleading for calls that often didn’t come.
“We knew going in that it was going to be an intense game,” Scott High coach Eric Henry said. “They’re always aggressive. Not necessarily dirty, but they’re going to be on it. So we have to be prepared for that.”
Henry said his defense played “well enough” to earn the shutout.
“They’re fast enough to cover any mistakes they might make, so that’s a good thing,” Henry said. “Adrian made a few good saves and he had to stretch out a few times to get there. Leivance (Weatherford) did a good job back there. Nolan (Cotton), Andy (Blevins) and Haiden (Blevins) were pretty solid the whole game. I had to sub in Bo Sharpe and he did well when he was in there.”
Garrett scored first, off an assist by Connor Stanley 12 minutes into the game. Ten minutes later, Babb scored off an assist by Stanley to make it a 2-0 contest. Smith scored off an assist by Clayton Carroll with 3:17 remaining before the intermission.
The win may have come at a great cost for the Highlanders. Babb went down with a knee injury when he scored his goal midway through the first half. He did not return to the game and will be evaluated medically on Friday.
“You ask me any day of the week do I want Skye to score or do I want Skye to not be hurt, I want Skye to not be hurt. Period,” Henry said. “He’s a great kid and plays really hard.
“That’s one of the things you worry about with teams that are aggressive, injuries and stuff like that. I don’t think there was anything dirty on that play; I just think he came down awkwardly. So we need to pray for Skye.”
Losing Babb could be a significant blow to the Highlanders’ district title hopes. The junior is a key part of the team’s offensive attack from his right wing position.
The Highlanders will travel to Harriman on Monday to start the stretch of road games. The next home game will be on April 4, when Anderson County visits for a key district game.
“We’ll work on some things, fine-tune some things, and be better at some stuff when Anderson County comes here on April 4,” Henry said.
