Colonel soccer wins opener

By James Beasley

The Copiah Academy soccer team opened its 2009-2010 season with a 3-1 victory over the Parklane Academy Pioneers in Gallman last week.

Senior Lee Brown and freshman Ryan Gannaway were the offensive stars for the Colonels. With the teams tied 0-0, Brown scored off a crossing pass from Gannaway early in the second half to put CA ahead 1-0.

After Parklane’s Jordan Taylor tied the score 1-1 on a direct kick from the 18, Brown and Gannoway scored back-to-back goals midway through the half to secure the win. Goalkeepers Danaher Broom, a sophomore, and 8th-grader Thomas Roberson, along with an aggressive Colonel defense, effectively shut down Parklane’s offensive attack.

Copiah first-year coach Tom Roberson, whose experience, in his words, consists of “coaching kids’ soccer,” was excited about the win in his debut. He is assisted by CA teacher Hillary Allen and alumnus Thomas Van Landingham, who played varsity soccer for the Colonels.

“The kids did great,” Roberson said afterwards. “They worked well today as a team. They’re working hard in practice, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Additional members of the team include seniors Christy Wright, Kyle Russell, Houston Brock, Colby Turnage, Vinod Kannu, Vijay Kannu, Michael Williams, and Stephen Upton;  juniors Trice Titus and Grace Bozeman; sophomores Sam Walters, Barry Blackwell, and Madison Claire Donahoe; freshmen Libby Tyson, Jason Snyder, and Lauren Watson; and 7th-graders Hunter Hankins and Abraham Handal

Shelly Gannaway and Ashley Thaxton serve as statisticians, Mark Roberson and Connor Jones as ball boys, and Matthew Roberson as the water boy.

The Colonels (1-0) will host MRA on November 23, East Rankin on November 30 (5 PM), Jackson Prep on December 1, Presbyterian Christian on December 7, and Brookhaven on December 10 (5 PM). In addition, CA travels to Parklane on December 3 and MRA on December 14. All games begin at 4:30 PM, unless otherwise indicated.

Copiah completes its soccer schedule after Christmas break, with the lone home game remaining against Jackson Academy on January 21.