After 18 grueling games, it all comes down to this.
The McComb Tigers have a chance at extending their soccer season Friday night when they host the Brookhaven Panthers in a winner-take-all matchup at the McComb football stadium.
The Tigers improved to 12-6 on the season with a 5-2 victory Tuesday at Brookhaven. The win was the Tigers’ first Region 5-5A victory in three tries this season.
The path to the playoffs is a simple one for the McComb boys. Win their regular-season finale Friday at home against Brookhaven and they’re in.
As for the Tigers, Madison said beating Brookhaven again Friday night won’t be as easy as Tuesday night’s win. McComb will be without German exchange students Janis Kohsik and Nils Behnke, both of whom played Tuesday. Kohsik departed on Wednesday for his return trip to Germany. Behnke is slated leave Friday afternoon, just hours prior to Friday night’s crucial game.
The departure of the two German exchange students leaves holes in McComb’s lineup, but also opportunities for players to step forward and make a difference. Madison said Friday’s lineup will be the Tigers’ 15th different this season, but he believes the Tigers can repeat an impressive victory earlier this year.
“We’ll deal with a whole different chemistry and we’ll need some guys who have been playing role positions to step up,” Madison said. “But against Lawrence County we played without the Germans and we played one of our best games of the season.”
Madison said he expects freshman midfielder/center Will Kalusche and team scoring leader Kecarderius Wells to step up their efforts against Brookhaven. Wells has scored a team-best 18 goals this season.
Junior outside midfielder D’Marcus Barnes will need to “step in where one of the Germans played.” Other players expected to make an impact Friday are seniors Chris Codding, Hut Allen and Elliott McKenzie.
Codding has played every position this season except for goalkeeper, Madison said, while Allen will start Friday at midfielder. McKenzie will be the Tigers’ defensive stopper.
Madison announced that eighth-grade junior varsity player Alay Patel, just returned from a month’s vacation in India, will be on the sideline and eligible to play Friday. Madison said while Patel would not start Friday’s game, he will give the Tigers depth off the bench at the midfielder spot.
“He’s got good footwork,” Madison said. “He’s just got to be more physical.”
Overall, Madison said the Tigers must stay focused and aggressive.
“We had a couple of defensive lapses (Tuesday),” he said. “We just want to be able to score goals. I think we’ll be able to do that.”
