For 60 minutes Thursday, Polk County Middle and Flat Rock Middle fought through a physical, tense match without finding a goal.
Rhys Jackson needed one swing of his right foot to change that.
Jackson scored on a long free kick in the first overtime period, and the Wolverines made the goal stand for a 1-0 Blue Ridge Conference victory at Utz Field.
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Neither team found much rhythm during regulation.
“It was a physical and tense match,” Polk Middle head coach Lennox Charles said. “We did not play an attractive style of soccer, everything seemed a little off today. A lot of that was due to Flat Rock.”
Both teams scrambled to clear dangerous balls from their penalty areas throughout the first half, with Polk goalkeeper Josiah Collier making perhaps the biggest play in the 29th minute. Collier came up with a key save to keep the match scoreless entering halftime.
The same pattern continued through the second half, with neither side able to break through.
Then, with roughly two minutes remaining in the first overtime period, Polk drew a foul about 45 yards from goal.
Jackson took the ensuing free kick and sent a high shot toward the net. The ball dropped over the Flat Rock goalkeeper and into the goal to give Polk a 1-0 lead.
The Wolverines protected that advantage through the remaining seven minutes to earn the victory.
Polk County Middle improved to 6-4-1 overall and in Blue Ridge Conference play. Flat Rock fell to 6-5.
Polk closes the regular season Monday at Utz Field against Hendersonville Middle.
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