The top two seeds from the 39th District squared off Thursday night in the district championship match.

The Indians were one of two teams to beat GRC in the regular season, a 3-2 victory in double overtime. Naturally, GRC was out for revenge.

To start the game Montgomery County won possession early and managed to keep a stronghold on the ball for most of the first half. With several opportunities to score, they were never able to convert as GRC goalkeeper Tayman Hayes showed out. Racking up 12 saves in the first half alone, the Cardinals were able to escape to halftime with the score knotted at zero.

As the second half got underway, GRC was able to win the possession battle and had more shots on goal than Montgomery County. It felt as if the momentum had shifted GRC’s way completely about midway through the second half when Brandon Beltran was fouled less than a yard outside the penalty box. However, the free kick from the Cards bounced off the top of the crossbar, resulting in a goal kick

With 15 minutes remaining in the contest, Montgomery County threw the ball in from deep in Cardinal territory. The ball sailed to the goal and Hayes wasn’t able to control it and the Indians struck first.

As time was winding down and the match got even chippier, two yellow cards were handed out to two separate Indians and it looked as if momentum had swung back GRC’s way, as they had two more good looks at goal in the final minutes of the game. However, Montgomery County’s goalkeeper was able to make clutch saves to preserve the Indians 1-0 lead and to send the Cardinals home with the runner-up trophy.

The season isn’t over for the Cardinals as they won the first game of the district tournament, qualifying them to compete for the 10th Region Tournament next week.

“I like [my chances at the region tournament],” head coach Nicholas Vogler said after the tough loss. “I told them we’d see them on Thursday and it’s hard to beat a team three times. The boys will be up for it, we’ll get some film, watch it, practice over the weekend and we’ll be ready to go. They know their season’s not over.”

A key player moving forward is going to be GRC’s goalie Hayes.

“Tayman was injured for a few games so we’ve been rested him a little bit, but we always knew Tayman would be crucial,” Vogler said. “Every now and then they’re going to get called on for three or four big saves and he’s consistently made them all year.”

GRC will find out who they play at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 11 when the KHSAA draws the tournament brackets. The tournament will be played at Montgomery County from Oct. 14-19.