Landrum nips Polk as border rivalry resumes

Wednesday offered a pretty good evening for Polk County’s girls soccer program – save for the final outcome.

The Wolverines had perfect weather for their season opener. Across the field stood Landrum, marking the first meeting in any sport between the two schools since December 2017. A boisterous Polk student section added to the evening’s atmosphere.

The night only lacked one thing for the Wolverines – a win. Landrum made a first-half goal stand in claiming a 1-0 win at G.M. Tennant Stadium in the season opener for both schools.

Verae Upton’s header off a corner kick with 15:52 left in the first half proved the only goal of the evening. Upton found an empty spot in the Polk defense just in front of Wolverine goalkeeper Maggie McCammon and placed her header just out of McCammon’s reach.

McCammon. though, delivered a number of saves throughout the evening, keeping the Wolverines in contention. But Landrum goalkeeper Perla Alviar proved McCammon’s equal, though tested less often. Alviar did make a key save in the final 10 minutes, stopping Polk’s Caroline Taylor on a breakway.

That would be the Wolverines’ best scoring threat of the evening as Landrum’s defense largely blunted Polk’s offense.

The Cardinals also proved victorious in the junior varsity match, claiming a 6-1 win. Kylee Waters scored on a late penalty kick for the Wolverines’ lone tally.

Polk County’s varsity is now off until March 10 when the Wolverines will host North Henderson.