Jackson wins district title in triple overtime

~ Chelsea Dale's goal lifted the Indians to a 3-2 victory.

Jackson had to work overtime for its sixth straight district championship.

Make that three overtimes.

But the top-seeded Indians hardly minded after outlasting second-seeded Seckman 3-2 Friday night in the Class 2 District 1 tournament finals at Jackson.

"It's great to win that many [district titles] in a row," said Jackson sophomore Bobbi Jo Schlick, who scored one goal and assisted on the game-winner. "I think this one is really good, because it's one of the hardest teams we've played in districts,"

Jackson's Bobbi Jo Schlick shot in front of Seckman defender Amanda Finley during Friday's game.

Seckman (10-5-2) certainly gave favored Jackson (13-2-2) all it could handle as the Indians never led until there was about a minute left in the third of what could have been up to four 10-minute sudden-death overtime periods.

Schlick beat several defenders on a run down the right sideline and sent a nice cross into the middle, where junior Chelsea Dale was waiting.

Dale deposited a shot into the net from about 15 yards out to end the marathon that featured nearly 110 minutes of soccer.

"She [Schlick] gave me a really good assist," Dale said. "I was thinking 'please let this one go in.

"We knew it would be a tough game, but we didn't expect three overtimes."

Jackson could have probably made things a lot easier on itself, but the Indians missed on numerous point-blank chances. They hit either the crossbar or a goalpost about six times.

"We were all over them the first half, but we just couldn't score," Jackson coach Zack Walton said. "But Seckman did a phenomenal job of marking us up. They had some really fast girls."

Despite having by far the better first-half chances, Jackson found itself trailing 1-0 at the break after Seckman scored at about the midway mark.

"We knew we had our chances. We just needed to hang in there," Walton said of his message to his players at halftime.

Jackson tied things about 10 minutes into the second half when Schlick scored off a rebound, but Seckman regained the lead a minute later on a breakaway.

After allowing only 10 goals all season before Friday, the Indians had given up two in a span of a little more than 30 minutes.

But the Indians were undaunted, and they again tied the contest less than four minutes after Seckman's go-ahead goal.

Junior Lauren Drewett headed a ball through the hands of Seckman keeper Brittni Henderson, after Henderson had originally made an impressive save off a long blast by junior Jenni Tenholder, who received an assist on the play.

"We kept coming back," Walton said. "Our girls just didn't quit. They kept battling."

Neither team scored over the final 25 minutes of regulation and the same held true for the first two overtime periods.

Seckman then had two solid chances in the third extra session before Jackson finally ended the contest.

"I think the whole team did stellar," Jackson senior Randi Kraust said. "I figured it would be a tough game. Seckman has a good team."

Up next for Jackson is more than a good team. The Indians will play nationally ranked Incarnate Word Academy of St. Louis at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Farmington in the sectional round.

"That one will be really tough," Walton said. "But we'll go to work and get ready for the game."

Added Walton: "To win six district titles in a row is a great accomplishment. I'm really proud of the girls. Nobody will expect us to win {Tuesday}, but there is always an upset or two. We'll just give it our best shot and see what happens."