DRAFFENVILLE – Marshall County has played Henderson County, year in and year out a great Region 2 program, the last 15 of 16 seasons, and they met again in the Marshals final regular season game Tuesday at Colburn Stadium and played to a 3-3 tie.
A very physical match each year between the two teams as expected, that this time came with a price. That being a straight red on Marshall defender Nate Moore, that Head Coach Andy Pagel said was “extremely harsh”. Under new regulations, a straight red issued to a player means he sits out the next two games which means if the Marshals can get past Calloway County in the semi-final round of the district tournament, they would be without Moore as well in the district championship game.
“He’s maybe our smartest soccer IQ player and hadn’t even had a foul called on him all game”, Pagel said. Going on to say he thought his team was gutsy in their effort to tie the game 3-3 while playing a man down.
The controversial card game late in the second half when the game was tied 2-2, setting Henderson’s Brett Royster up to take the penalty kick and giving the Colonels a 3-2 lead. The Marshals went on to tie the game 3-3 on a direct kick by Drake Anderson about 35 yards out.
The Marshals struck first on a goal by Austin Stockdale on an assist by Daniel Lepore at 25:16 in the first half, then Royster tied the game on a penalty kick near the front of the box. A goal by Caleb McNeely, his 19th goal of the season, put the Marshals up with five minutes to go for a 2-1 halftime lead.
Near the 60th minute of the game, Henderson’s Aaron Wayne scored to knot the game up at 2-2 before the PK by Royster following the straight red on Moore gave them a 3-2 lead that the Marshals wiped out on their final goal by Anderson.
In the game, the Marshals took 10 shots, 4 of those on goal, 3 corners, 11 fouls and 4 cards and finish the regular season 12-5-2. Henderson took 15 shots, 10 on goal, 6 corners, 18 fouls, 2 cards and are 10-4-6.
The Marshals played Murray on Saturday and suffered their second shutout of the season losing 4-0, coming right on the heels of a shutout at the hands of Calloway County, a team they will meet again on Wednesday, October 12th in the semi-final round of the 2nd District Tournament at Calloway County.
