FC slips past SEL, 3-2, in 2nd overtime

Franklin County High School’s boys soccer team ultimately took things down to the wire in claiming a 3-2 overtime win over Southeast Lauderdale in the first round of Class I post-season play on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

“Southeast Lauderdale, who won a state championship back in 2015, took the initial lead in the 27th minute and that 1-0 advantage would hold through the half,” FCHS Head Soccer Coach Jeff Long said following the contest.

Franklin County responded to start the second half — roughly four minutes in the frame — with a goal sprearheaded by Parker Marcengill and Jamari Tolliver.

Southeast Lauderdale scored again to take a 2-1 lead in the game’s 62nd minute, but the tide turned once more when Tolliver was taken to the turf inside the box with less than 14 minutes remaining in the affair.

Nathan Griffin booted in the subsequent penalty kick to knot the game at 2-all, and that score would not change through the end of regulation.

“In the first 10-minutes overtime period, Southeast got off a shot from six yards away,” Long said. “Freshman goalkeeper Dakota Chisholm came through for us with an amazing save where he dove for the ball — hitting it with his fingertips and pushing the shot away from the goal.”

The second overtime period saw Tolliver fouled again —this time just outside the box.

“Tolliver’s free kick was well placed to the back post where midfielder Xavien Felton struck a header that bounced off the left post,” Long added.

“Tolliver raced to the loose ball and got off a shot that knocked down the Southeast Lauderdale goalkeeper and Tolliver finished the rebound for the game winner.”

Southeast’s offense had 31 shots and 16 shots on goal in the contest with Chisholm recording a season-high 14 saves.

Franklin County finished the night with 29 shots and 11 shots on goal with Tolliver, Marcengill and Griffin each finding the net once in the game.

Marcengill had seven shots and four shots on goal while Tolliver also had seven shots and three SOG.

Griffin wound up with five shots and three SOG.

Additionally, Tolliver led the Soccer Dawgs with two assists while Felton had one.

Defensively, FC had a team total of 89 stops with Zachary Kent and Kennon Johnson accounting for 12 of those apiece.

Colton Shaw and Ethan Touchstone had 10 take-aways each.

Other defensive stops were made by Drew Mullins, seven; Keyundre Felton, six; Terrence Fields, six; Griffin, five; Xavien Felton, five; Tolliver, five; Marcengill, five; Mason Emfinger, four; Chris Carraway, one; and Parker Jordan, one.

The win boosted Franklin County to a 16-3-3 record on the season.

The team finished as the No. 1 seed coming out of Class I District 7 with a 10-0 regional mark and a 10th-straight district crown.