The Greenwood High School girls and boys soccer teams opened their 2012 season last Thursday with a pair or road matches at Fort Smith Northside. In fact, Greenwood’s early schedule will be played entirely on the road until the home opener on March 14th. They were slated to play at Van Buren this past Monday, March 5th, and participate in a tournament at Fort Smith Southside this coming Friday and Saturday, March 9-10, before returning to Southside next Monday, March 12th, for a regularly scheduled contest. The GHS girls and boys will host Mena at Smith-Robinson Stadium next Wednesday with matches starting at 5 p.m. for the girls and 7 p.m. for the boys.
Leading up to the season opener at Northside, head coach Chris Young and his players hosted Dardanelle in a benefit match on Tuesday, March 21st at Greenwood’s Smith-Robinson Stadium. The Lady Bulldogs ran away with the opener, winning 6-0. Players who scored goals for the GHS girls included Maddie Gilliam, Misty Padilla, Brae Gish, and Nora Goodstein. In the boys’ match, Adam McFain and Phillipo Tuirrini scored for the Bulldogs, who finished in a 2-2 tie with the visitors.
This past Tuesday, March 28th, Greenwood traveled the short distance to Poteau, Oklahoma for a pre-season scrimmage. The Lady Bulldogs got a single goal from Maddie Gilliam and three from Brae Gish, winning handily, 4-1. The GHS boys lost to Poteau, 3-2, with Adam McFain and Phillipo Turrini once again accounting for all of Greenwood’s scoring.
Last Thursday’s regular season opener at Fort Smith Northside yielded similar results, with the GHS girls winning a squeaker, 1-0, and the Greenwood boys losing a heartbreaker to the Grizzlies, 2-0. Brae Gish scored the lone goal for the Lady Bulldogs. Coach Young praised his defense in the girls’ match, saying, “Our defense played outstanding, and allowed us to hold on for the one-goal victory.” Sound defense was was also on display in the boys’ match. “We lost 2-0 to a very talented Northside team,” said Young. “It was tied (0-0) late into the second half, and they were able to get behind us for a 1-0 lead, and then they scored off a set piece with a few minutes remaining.”