WHITEVILLE – Jesse Gause fired in the deciding penalty kick in the shootout Tuesday as Bladenboro closed out their Waccamaw Middle School Conference boys soccer season with a victory over Whiteville Central.
Central led 2-0 before Bladenboro pulled keeper Hezekiah Blanks-Adams out of the goal. With 10 minutes left Blanks-Adams knocked in a goal off of a breakaway to slice the margin to 2-1.
Later in the half Blanks-Adams collided with the Central keeper while going for a header. The ball squirted off the keeper to Jonah Bryan who banged in the tying goal for the Bulldogs with a minute left in regulation.
Blanks-Adams drilled a penalty kick past the keeper to begin the shootout. Teammate Eddie Labra delivered his penalty kick into the high right corner for a 2-0 Bladenboro lead after Blanks-Adams had blocked the first two Whiteville penalty kicks.
Whiteville whittled the margin to 2-1, before Colin Britt found the back of the net in the high right corner. Central answered to close the gap to 3-2, before Gause sealed the verdict with his winning kick.
The Bulldogs completed their season with a 5-5 record. “I have enjoyed coaching this group along with Stephen Dove and Otis Evans,” said Bladenboro Coach Steve Thurman.
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