Rhea Middle Soccer players pose for Rhea County Magazine after 9-0 win over Athens.(Photo:GaryBolden/RheaCountyMagazine)

RMS Continues Amazing Defense With No Goals Given Up For Season

9/15/22

Athens, TN -- Rhea County Middle School girls soccer had another good run notching three more solid
victories. In the first game, on the road against Chilhowee, the Eagles got rolling early with two goals by
Baylynn Butler, which are her first of the season. Baylynn has really come on recently. Avery
Dyer found the back of the net on a perfectly placed shot off an assist by Baylynn Butler. Molly
Hughes continued her strong season with two goals in the first half off assists from Lilah
Sullivan and Kiera Graham. Lidia Butt ripped in the last goal of the first half on an assist from
Avery Dyer.

In the second half the Eagles focused on ball control and combination play such as give and
goes. Madison Smith stepped up to play striker and scored two more goals on well placed
shots, the first with an assist from Emerson White and the second with an assist from Baylynn
Butler. Emerson White scored the last goal of the night on a free kick from about twenty five
yards out. Emerson struck the ball well and it sailed just under the cross bar to end the game
at 9-0.

The second game of the week was played at home against a much improved Ocoee team.
Ocoee marked up and pressured the Eagles making it hard to score. Molly Hughes finally hit a
strike from twelve yards out off an assist from Lyla Roddy. Lyla fought hard to get the ball clear
and up to Molly for the shot on goal. The second goal of the half came from a well executed
corner kick by Madison Smith and Emerson White. The ball sailed to the back post where
Mercy Ferguson was waiting and struck the ball in the back of the net.

The Eagles worked hard in the second half to figure how to beat the Ocoee packed defense in
front of the goal. Molly Hughes started to move balls she received from Lilah Sullivan laterally
to find seams in the Ocoee defense. Once Molly did this she was able to find the back of the
net twice on low driven balls, making this her third hat trick of the season. Emerson White
finished the scoring with a well struck ball from well outside the 18 yard box for a final score of
5-0.

After the Ocoee game Captain Emerson White had this to say “In the first half we weren’t
playing our best but we put that behind us in the second half and stepped up our game to get
three more goals. I’m proud of this team and how we are playing together.”
After the varsity match the Eagles JV team hosted the JV team from Cleveland. After a good
deal of back and forth play in the first half the Lady Eagles found the net in the second half off
of an excellent strike by forward Annalee Willis on an assist from Liberty Raymer. The second
goal of the night came from Lilly Love with a well struck angled ball that started with an assist
again from Liberty Raymer.

Madison Smith, who moved the ball well all night and won almost all of Ocoee’s throw-ins is
shown here driving to goal. Photo credit John Bamber

Madison Smith, who moved the ball well all night and won almost all of Ocoee’s throw-ins is
shown here driving to goal. Photo credit John Bamber
On Monday the Eagles traveled to rival Athens who has been difficult to score on, but not this
time. In the first half Mercy Ferguson drove in a cross from Madison Smith to start off the
scoring. This was followed by a booming shot by Emerson White from well outside the 18 that
sailed in under the crossbar.
While Athens tried to mount an offensive attack they were shutdown by Peyton Graham and
Kiera Graham, the two Rhea County center backs with excellent support from Lidia Butt, Juliet
Ferguson and Stephanie Eakins. On one of these drives Kiera Graham won a ball and brought
it quickly through the midfield to Molly Hughes who cut the ball to goal and drilled it in the back
of the net. As the half wore on Molly Hughes won a misplayed Athens pass and struck it
towards the goal. Left wing Mercy Ferguson got to the ball before the keeper could grab it and
tucked it into the corner. The last goal of the half came on a well placed cross by Mercy
Ferguson to Lilah Sullivan who buried it in the back of the net.
In the second half the Eagles worked players in different positions including Jetta Sharp who
came within inches of scoring on several occasions. The first goal of the second half came off
of a well placed shot by Madison Smith off of a crisp low pass from Molly Hughes. The Eagles
continued to work the ball up the sidelines and Avery Dyer delivered a ball to Lilah Sullivan who
cut the ball in and drove to the net for goal number seven.
Molly Hughes, who had moved to midfield, won a ball from fifty yards out and drove quickly
past the Athens’ defense beating two defenders and buried the ball past the Athens’ goalie.

Lilah Sullivan shooting her second
goal of the night. Photo credit Clint Sullivan

Next week the Eagles will host Lake Forest on Tuesday at 5:30 pm for eighth grade night and
will travel to Cleveland on Thursday at 5:30 for the final game of the regular season.