Polk Middle edged in BRC final in 10th round of penalty kicks

Polk County Middle did just about everything possible Monday to win a Blue Ridge Conference boys soccer championship.

In perhaps the most epic final in BRC history, Macon Middle finally emerged the winner after regulation, two overtimes and 10 rounds of penalty kicks.

The Wolverines had two chances to win in penalties and were unable to convert either. There were key saves and all kinds of drama throughout the afternoon and evening in Franklin.

“We had quite the evening,” said Polk Middle head coach Lennox Charles.

Macon took a 1-0 lead in the first half, with Polk Middle narrowly missing a chance to tie when a Ross Dow free kick hit the crossbar and hit behind the goalkeeper, but was ruled not to have crossed the goal line and was cleared away.

Polk Middle finally evened the score in the second half as a Dow throw-in was flicked into the goal area by Luke Garrison. Brennan Oates reached the ball and tapped it in front of the net to Owen Justice, who scored to even the match.

Both teams had chances to score again in regulation but could never find the net, and neither team could score in overtime.

In penalties, Macon grabbed an early 1-0 edge, but Polk Middle tied the match on its second kick. At 2-2 on the fifth kick, Macon missed, but so did Polk, moving the penalty situation into a sudden-death format.

The Wolverines had a chance to win on the seventh round, but missed. Macon then scored in the 10th round and the Panther goalkeeper stopped the Polk shot to end the match.

The Wolverines saw their season end with a 13-3-1 record and the BRC Eastern Division championship.