EDW teams beat MCHS in soccer

The Morgan City boys’ soccer team were in a defensive mode for much of the first half, and while they got more offensive looks in the second half, they couldn’t convert until late in a 4-1 loss to E.D. White in district play in Morgan City Monday.
“Mission accomplished,” E.D. White coach Roger Brimah said of the win. “We came out, we needed to get a good, solid win and that’s what we did.”
While E.D. White had multiple opportunities in the first half for goals, Morgan City held firm until E.D. White’s Stephen Boudreaux scored on a header.
Much of Morgan City’s first-half offense came via the booming leg of Sergize Flores, who played defense for much of the contest but blasted kicks downfield.
Later in the first half, Flores had a free kick but it went right to E.D. White’s goalie, while the Tigers had two more golden opportunities late in the first half but couldn’t convert off Flores’ corner kicks, the last when following the kick Flores received the ball again but time ran out.
Morgan City soccer coach Trevor Patterson said it would have been big if the Tigers could have connected on one of those two corner kick chances late in the first half.
However, he also noted that the Tigers have had some blows on offense with Flores playing defense for much of the night due to an injury and the loss of two other forwards this season.
In the second half, E.D. White’s Josh Chiasson connected on a goal following Rene Thibodaux’s corner kick for a 2-0 E.D. White advantage.
Seth Ledet added two more goals for the Cardinals, including a long one late.
Brimah said his squad played really well in the second half.
“It was hard to attack them because their defenders stay back all the time and they were always in retreat, so we couldn’t get behind them,” Brimah said. “Typically they’d try to press us and we’d get some people in behind them, and they didn’t do that.”
Brimah also said his squad had to adjust to Morgan City’s smaller field than E.D. White’s turf field. The adjustment, he said, helped them start scoring.
Offensively, Morgan City had multiple throw-ins deep in E.D. White territory during the second half but were not been able to capitalize until late when Flores connected for a goal.
As both teams now look towards the playoffs, Patterson said he expected his boys’ squad to be seeded anywhere from No. 12 to No. 15 and host a home game when the brackets are released Wednesday.
E.D. White 4,
Morgan City 0 (girls)
Like their boys’ counterparts, the Morgan City girls’ soccer team spent much of their time on defense, fending off attacks by the E.D. White offense in Monday’s 4-0 loss to the highly regarded Thibodaux-based squad.
Additionally, the Lady Tigers appeared to come out lethargic, Morgan City coach Trevor Patterson said.
Still, Patterson said the contest was better than the Lady Tigers’ showing in a 6-0 loss at E.D. White Friday.
Although Patterson said Morgan City hurt themselves by allowing at least three E.D. White goals Monday by defensive mistakes, he credited E.D. White’s talent.
“They’ve definitely improved over the last two years,” he said, noting they have players that play club soccer, which helps them.
E.D. White scored twice in the first half, once by Tristen Gros off a corner kick by Julia Enloe, while Holly Bourgeois scored after a corner kick by Callie Authement.
In the second half, E.D. White’s Morgan Becnel connected on a goal early for a 3-0 E.D. White advantage while later, Becnel found the inside corner of the goal past a leaping attempt at a save by Morgan City goalie Layne Reynaud.
“We’ve been playing good since the beginning of the year,” E.D. White coach Don Grabert said. “Morgan City’s a scrappy team. … They’re quick. They get there. They’re well coached. We have a good team this year I think. We’ve been getting better every week.”
Despite the goal, Reynaud had several solid saves for the Morgan City defense.
Offensively in the second half, Morgan City had some chances to score but couldn’t convert.
“That’s one of those things as a coach, you know that you’re playing against a better team so you kind of play a little bit defensively and wait for those breakaways, and we had them and when you try to play more attacking, it leaves your defense wide open,” he said.
Grabert also credited his goalie, Taylor Benoit, with the shutout.
“She’s extremely good,” he said.
Both teams will now turn their attention to the postseason when the Louisiana High School Athletic Association releases its soccer brackets today. E.D. White, with its win Monday against Morgan City, finished as district co-champs with Vandebilt Catholic.
Morgan City is expected to make the postseason as a wildcard, Patterson said, and host a home game.
Additional reporting by www.bayoupreps.com