Spalding High freshman Evan Davis (25) dribbles during a match Saturday in the Bulldog Cup against Mary Persons High School at Billy Lancaster Field in Forsyth. Davis scored his team's only goal in a 2-1 loss Saturday morning.
The loss, Spalding’s first this season, relegated the Jaguars (3-1) to the consolation match against Northside-Warner Robins later in the day, while Mary Persons (5-0) remained undefeated and advanced to the title match against Howard. Both matches were too late for this edition.
Nonetheless, Spalding, which opened the tournament with a 2-0 win Thursday against First Presbyterian Day, played a hard-fought match against the Bulldogs.
“Keep your heads high,” assistant Spalding coach Chris Garland told his team after the match. “It was not a bad result.”
The complexion of the game changed 12:29 into the match when one of Spalding’s players retaliated after being elbowed and received a red card, relegating the Jaguars to a man disadvantage the rest of the way.
The Bulldogs capitalize immediately, breaking a scoreless tie 49 seconds later.
Davis tied the match when he belted a rebound home with 55 seconds left to play in the first half.
“I just saw it pop out when the keeper hit it off his hand,” said Davis. “I just turned and hit it in the left corner.”
The match’s decisive score came 14:36 into the second half on a penalty kick by the Bulldogs.
“They were tough and physical, but I felt we could have won it and could have (won it) easily,” Garland said.
Spalding (3-1 overall, 1-0 region) jumps back into Region 4-AAAA play Tuesday at home against Dutchtown (2-2, 2-0).
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