Lamar Raiders on verge of first soccer title

By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
January 31, 2004
JACKSON There are plenty of firsts for the Lamar School boys' soccer team to accomplish this afternoon in Jackson.
When the No. 2 Raiders (10-1-1) line up against the No. 1 Jackson Prep Patriots (15-0-1) in the MPSA championship game at 1 p.m. today, the squad will be vying for its first title in soccer.
Lamar could also capture both the soccer championship and the football crown in the same school year for the first time in program history.
The two teams that will play at Jackson Prep are quite familiar with each other. The Raiders and the Patriots played to a one-goal tie on Dec. 8 in Jackson. The game was called because of lack of daylight.
What Lamar's coach doesn't know is how his team will react to competing for the state title.
The Raiders have never advanced to the finals in soccer before this season, and Escobar said it is important for his team not to be satisfied with being in the game.
Lamar will need to open its match against Jackson Prep better than it started its semifinal game against Jackson Academy on Thursday.
Though the Raiders won the contest 4-1, the game was tied at one at the end of the first half.
Along with getting off to a better start, Lamar's defense will need to quickly take away Jackson Prep's operational space on the pitch.
The Patriots play a control-style game, using crisp ball movement to spread out their opponents and create scoring chances.
For the Raiders' part, they will need leading scorer Randy Boyd Thompson to take on a slightly altered role against the Patriots.
Thompson can expect to see plenty of double and even triple teams throughout the course of the match. The Lamar forward will need to be prepared to find open teammates to create space on the offense end.
Lamar goalkeeper Scott Owen will be counted on heavily against the powerful Jackson Prep attack.
Owen had not given up a goal in the four games prior to the team's match against Jackson Academy, and he has recorded six shutouts this season.
Lamar comes into the championship game on a seven-game winning streak, and Escobar said he has seen a change in his squad's demeanor this season.