Seymour Soccer Wins District Championship

By: Lee Ramsey
    The amazing Seymour Eagles soccer team brought home the 2-AAA District Title for 2010 as they defeated the South-Doyle Cherokees by a score of 2-1 at the Sevier County Soccer Complex in Sevierville with lightning and torrential downpours in the area during the game.
    Lightning was not all that was striking. Seymour was hot.
    The Eagles are 11-5-4 coming off of a 1-0 triple OT district tournament win over Sevier County; and a 3-0 district win the first game over Jefferson County.
    As he said before the tournament began, Seymour Coach Drew Payne spoke about Seymour’s chances, “We knew coming in that this district is so even from top to bottom, we believed we could win the whole thing even as the number 5 seed.
    “I don’t know of another district in the state that the number 5 seed would feel like they could win it. It’s a beautiful thing.”
    Both Eagle goals were scored by Jacob Lindsey who scored a total of 3 goals in the district tournament. He was assisted by Corbin Marine and Austin Acree.
    “Jacob came to play tonight. He did a great job for us,” said Coach Payne. “He has had a really good district tournament.”
    They were an incredible two goals. Both goals were scored in the second half. There was a one hour storm delay also in the first half of play which began 15 minutes into play. Lindsey scored at the 25th and 34th minute of play.
    “The passes were right on” said Lindsey. “It feels amazing to bring it back to Seymour. To win as a senior feels good.”
    South-Doyle scored a goal with 7:56 left in regulation. It turned out to be the only goal the Cherokees could put on the board the entire game.
    That one goal also was the only goal scored on Seymour the entire district tournament with Seymour senior goal keeper Chris Ballard.
    “Chris Ballard came through when it mattered for us,” said Payne. “He had an unbelievable tournament.”
    Coach Payne seemed to think that the win reflected the entire season when he said, “We are a resilient team. We have a very large class of seniors this year and they had a goal in mind. I came in and reinforced that goal.
    “Our regular season was up and down, but this district is very even in all sports, especially in soccer.”
    After they came back to earth, the Eagles will need to focus intensely on the upcoming IMAC Regional Tournament which starts this week.
    Among most of Seymour’s district coaches, the consensus is that Kingsport Dobbins-Bennett and Science Hill are the two teams to beat in the region.
    Seymour will play Science Hill on Tuesday May 18 at 7 p.m. at the Sevier County Soccer Complex in Sevierville. It will be considered a home game for the Eagles.
    Coach Payne spoke on the subject, “Both these teams are somewhat on another level; but that doesn’t mean they are out of our reach.
    “We do have some things going for us playing on our home field and the fact that they are favored puts a little more pressure on them.”
    The last time a Seymour Boys Soccer team won the District Championship was 2001 after winning four straight regional championships from 1998 to 2001.
    At that time they were not in the IMAC conference however.