District 1-2A girls: Bozeman, South Walton advance

PANAMA CITY — District 1-2A in girls soccer was not known for parity during the regular season. Therefore the theme on any given Monday was absent at Tommy Oliver Stadium when higher-seeded teams Bozeman and South Walton emphatically ended the season for Marianna and Walton.

The winning schools realize that they could be considered just as sizeable underdogs when the semifinals are played Wednesday. Bozeman draws top-seeded Pensacola Catholic and South Walton gets No. 2 seed host Bay.

At that time, however, both the Bucks and Seahawks understand they will be one upset win from reaching the regional tournament.

Bozeman 5, Marianna 0

The Bucks, 7-7-1, dominated from start to finish as Amber Wade scored two first-half goals to key the onslaught. The mercy rule could possibly have been threatened early if not for two key saves by Marianna keeper Mallory Dean, both depriving Kiley O’Rourke of what appeared to be sure goals.

The first came after Becca Hall had placed a perfectly aimed cross in front of the frame that O’Rourke volleyed cleanly. Dean, who had trouble holding a slippery ball on Bozeman’s first and third goals, this time stuffed the threat.

Then she stopped O’Rourke on a penalty kick in the 37th minute to keep the Bulldogs, 2-15-0, within two goals, Camille Johnson having blasted a 20-yard shot that went through Dean to follow Wade’s first tally.

O’Rourke initially converted the penalty kick, but it was waived off for a player entering the box early. On the second try, Dean got her left glove on the ball to keep it out of the net.

Bozeman led 3-0 at halftime on Wade’s second goal that came a minute before intermission. Following a faulty clear Wade had a breakaway and Dean got a piece of the ball but couldn’t hold it.

“We’re new to the district this year so we really didn’t know what to expect,” Bozeman coach Jennifer Shumate said. “The last time we played them it was a pretty decent game.”

Dean seemed to delight in thwarting O’Rourke, making six of her 12 saves against the Bucks forward. O’Rourke did get a measure of revenge when she got another chance on a penalty kick and converted early in the second half.

Bozeman’s leading scorer Hall completed the scoring from close range shortly afterward. The Bucks had a whopping 34-3 edge in shots as keeper Alyssa Delaplaine wasn’t called on to make a save.

Shumate is well aware that the challenge on Wednesday will be much more severe against Catholic, which dominated 1-2A during the regular season.

“We need to try and stop their passing, they’re phenomenal passers, they’re a great team,” Shumate said. “We need to keep it defensive and see what happens.”

• Marianna 0 0 — 0
• Bozeman 3 2 — 5
• First half: 1. Bozeman, Amber Wade, 3rd minute, 2. Bozeman, Camille Johnson, 10th minute, 3. Bozeman, Amber Wade, 39th minute. Second half: Bozeman, Kiley O’Rourke, penalty kick 63rd minute, 5. Bozeman, Becca Hall, 65th minute. Shots: Marianna 1-2-3, Bozeman 16-18-34. Shots on goal: Marianna 0-0-0, Bay 10-7-17. Corner kicks: Marianna 0-0-0, Bozeman 4-5-9. Saves: Marianna (Mallory Dean) 7-5-12, Bozeman (Alyssa Delaplaine) 0-0-0. Yellow cards: none. Red cards: none.

South Walton 6, Walton 0

Aleeza Kempton scored the final four goals for South Walton, which led 3-0 at halftime. Freshman Amy Broadt scored for the Seahawks, 9-7-0, who then took a 2-0 lead on an own goal.

Kempton got her first goal of the game after a long run put her in prime position. She tapped a shot into the lower right corner, then followed up with an assist from Cassidy Whitson to make it 4-0.

A successful penalty kick gave Kempton a hat trick and she scored her fourth goal in the 68th minute.

South Walton meets Bay at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The first semifinal pits Bozeman vs. Pensacola Catholic at 5 p.m. The semifinal winners meet 7 p.m. Friday for the championship.