Smith paces Lady Trojans to win over Hernando

By By Cassie Chance/Special to The Star
Feb. 4, 2001
If you ever want to know what it's like to play in a state playoff game, just ask Northeast Lauderdale freshman Danielle Smith.
Smith could tell you not only what the overall experience is like but also what it feels like to score a goal, make an assist, and have an upper hand in the defensive battle. Smith along with the rest of the Lady Trojans breezed through the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association's Division 4A soccer playoffs on Saturday morning with an 8-0 shut out over Hernando.
Northeast first year head coach Charles Coleman wasn't expecting the game to go as it did.
Northeast struck often and early as April Harper gave the Lady Trojans the 1-0 lead just three minutes in to the game. Smith's first goal came with less than 10 minutes later and the second with just over 15 minutes left in the half. Elyse Parker found the back of the net to give the Lady Trojans the 4-0 edge with 9:13 left on the clock.
However, Northeast wasn't through quite yet as Smith scored again to give the Lady Trojans a 5-0 lead with less than eight minutes before the intermission.
After the break, Northeast picked up where they left off as Smith scored the next two goals, one of those coming off a penalty kick. Senior foreign exchange student, Eve Chagas, scored her first ever goal with just under two minutes remaining in the game to give the Lady Trojans the 8-0 victory.
Northeast registered 20 shots on goal for the entire game, as Hernando only
registered one.
The Lady Trojans (9-2) will face Pearl on Tuesday evening and have a chance to get back at the team who knocked them out of the playoffs during the state semifinals last season.
The game will be played at Northeast, however, the time is TBA.