Erik Hidalgo fired in the decisive penalty kick Thursday night as Elizabethtown edged Clarkton School of Discovery 2-1 in the shoot-out after the two teams finished their Bladen Five Middle School Conference match tied 2-2.
Clarkton appeared to be headed for a 2-1 win, but a foul in the box in the final ten seconds of regulation gave Elizabethtown’s Malcolm Bolden a chance to drill in the tying penalty kick.
After an Elizabethtown miss, Robert McKoy found the back of the net with the first Blue Devil kick of the shoot-out. Joel Johnson answered for the Cougars by booming a high shot past the keeper to even the shoot-out 1-1.
Neither team connected again until Hidalgo scored on the Cougars final attempt. Clarkton had one kick left to tie the score, but Raymond Autry made a diving save to clinch the win for Elizabethtown.
Bolden beat a defender and sent a crossing pass to Sammy Valerio who banged in the shot from 4 yards out to give the Cougars the early lead midway the first half.
Samaj Dove sent a long pass to McKoy who knocked the shot past the keeper to tie the match 1-1 in the first half.
With two minutes left in the second half, the same Blue Devil connection clicked again as Dove sent the long pass to McKoy who tucked the shot past the keeper and into the goal.
Timothy McLean was credited with 5 saves during regulation play for the Cougars. Autry had 2 saves during the shoot-out for the winners.
Cougar Coach Jay Raynor said, “To everyone’s recollection this was the first time Elizabethtown Middle has ever beaten CSD in soccer.”
Elizabethtown remains atop the Bladen Five with a 3-0 record, while Clarkton is now 1-2.
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