Greenwood and Bowling Green play for elusive 11th title in 21 seasons
Greenwood (13-2-1) vs. Bowling Green (12-3-1)
October 22, 2020 – 6:00pm – Warren East High School
By Perry Swack
In this millennium there have been twenty 4th Region Tournaments held. Every single championship game featured two schools: Greenwood and Bowling Green. In the first decade, Greenwood won seven times and Bowling Green won thrice. In the following decade, Bowling Green was champion seven times and Greenwood thrice. 10-10. A new decade has begun, but we still have these two programs at the top. The Lady Gators, coached by Zac Lechler, enter Thursday’s meeting winners of the last two titles, and three of the previous four. The Lady Purples – led by longtime headwoman Lisa Correa – are looking to enter the winner’s circle for the first time since 2017, after winning six-straight from 2010-15.
2020 Meetings
September 17 – Greenwood 2 @ Bowling Green 1
October 14 – Greenwood 1(5) vs. Bowling Green 1(4) PKs – 14th District Championship
Greenwood defeated Bowling Green in both meetings this season. The regular season matchup at The Pit set the stage for sophomore forward Kayelee Maners to score both goals in the 2-1 victory. The district title game came down to penalty kicks, but in regulation both Hannah Carter of Greenwood and Maggie Morris of BG scored a goal. In penalties, the teams were 4-4 through the first five shots which sent the shootout to extras. Greenwood defender Maggie Blair calmly netted the winner in the seventh round to clinch the Lady Gators’ second-straight 14th District championship.
Players to Watch
With the likes of Annabel Justice and Anna Haddock graduated and off playing soccer collegiately, the Greenwood Lady Gators are an incredibly balanced bunch. In fact, all 24 players listed on the team’s official roster have either scored or assisted on goals this season – including both goalkeepers. Kayelee Maners leads the team in scoring at ten goals and as noted above, scored a brace against the Lady Purples in the regular season. Senior goalkeeper Taryn Guyer has been a force in the back of the net this year, leading the state with nine complete game shutouts.
For Bowling Green, freshman Maggie Morris leads the team in scoring with 14 goals. Senior teammate Katie Jo Moore is right behind with 12 goals on the year. Senior Erica Smith is among state leaders with 11 assists.
Preview and Prediction
Although the Lady Gators are the defending Kentucky state champions, they are not a huge favorite over the Lady Purples – despite winning both meetings in 2020. In fact, the latest Maher Rankings have Bowling Green in at 9th statewide and Greenwood a couple spots behind at 11th. However, the KHSAA RPI slots Greenwood at #11 and BG at #14. These rankings, coupled with the fact that these two teams have played great games against one another this season, forecast a fantastic finish to the 4th Region Tournament.
A trip to the state tournament is on the line and neither team wants to go home early. I predict Greenwood will come out early and score on a set piece, but Bowling Green will tie the game just before halftime. A second Gator goal early in the second half will lead coach Lechler to hunt for a third, while playing it safe to preserve the lead. A free kick on BG’s attacking third will give the Lady Purples a late chance to tie the game, but Guyer will come up with a huge save once again to send Greenwood back to the state tournament. And with it, the elusive 11th championship in 21 seasons.
