Great rivalry games continue as Whitewater sweeps McIntosh

Think of the last few weeks of the soccer season as a good meal. If the soccer games between Whitewater and Starr’s Mill were the appetizer, last Friday’s games between Whitewater and McIntosh were the main course, making tomorrow’s games between McIntosh and Starr’s Mill a delectable dessert that puts the cap on an awesome experience.

The McIntosh Lady Chiefs, ranked third in Class AAAA as of last Friday, hosted the top ranked Whitewater Lady Wildcats and held a 1-0 lead until the final two minutes of regulation thanks to a goal early in the second half from Laura Higgason. With about two minutes left to play, there was a lot of action in front of the McIntosh goal and Jewelia Strickland came away with the tying goal. The two teams played two five minute overtimes without a goal leading to a decisive shootout. Whitewater’s players scored on all five attempts, while McIntosh only scored three times. Whitewater keeper Christa Strickland stopped Gabby Seiler’s shot preserving the win for her team. Whitewater is still ranked number one and McIntosh is ranked second.

In the boys game, Whitewater, unranked as of last Friday, defeated McIntosh, the top ranked team in Class AAAA, 1-0 on a goal from Matt Herget. It was the second loss in the last 35 games for the Chiefs.

“Now we know the effort it takes to win,” said Whitewater head coach Shane Pulliam. “We knew we would have to create chances tonight and deny Josh Ball from having chances tonight and we did that.”

Whitewater has a big game at Alexander tonight and will host Villa Rica tomorrow. Continuing their momentum could secure a home start to the state playoffs for the boys.

The loss knocked McIntosh to number two in Class AAAA in the state and puts Starr’s Mill into the top spot and Whitewater in 10th. This makes tomorrow’s battle between McIntosh and Starr’s Mill a true battle between between the top two teams in Class AAAA.

Tomorrow’s event is also being heralded as “The Battle for the Troops” as the two schools have united to support U.S. troops fighting abroad, as well as those who have returned home and their families.

Battle for the Troops has three goals - to send packages to soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, honoring our troops and their families, thanking them for their sacrifice and raising funds and accepting donations for the Wounded Warrior Project and the Lt. Dan Berschinski fund.

The soccer action starts at 5:30 p.m. at Starr’s Mill with the game between the two varsity girls teams. At 7 p.m. there will be a ceremony to honor the troops featuring musical entertainment and the Ft. McPherson Color Guard. The two varsity boys teams will tangle at 7:30 p.m.

You can contribute by soliciting and collecting donations of food, personal articles and entertainment items to be shipped to the troops, contributing cards and letters thanking the troops for their service or raising money for the Wounded Warrior Project and for the fund set up for Lt. Dan Berschinski, PTC native and former McIntosh goalkeeper who was seriously injured last year in Afghanistan (www.danberschinski.blogspot.com)
Donation centers will be set up at the game and at the high schools prior to the match. 

Whiile Whitewater was sweeping McIntosh last Friday, Starr’s Mill swept Fayette County. The boys won 3-1 and the girls, ranked sixth in Class AAAA, won 10-0. Sandy Creek’s girls defeated Mays 10-0 and Landmark Christian’s boys, undefeated thus far, beat South Paulding 3-1. This past Monday, Our Lady of Mercy’s boys (7-4-1) beat Eagle’s Landing Christian 11-1, while the girls lost 8-2.