Pats, Devils tie

Pats, Devils tie

Sports Editor As the famous philosopher Aesop once said, “When all is said and done, more is said than done.”

That must have been the theme for yesterday’s Marion-West Memphis non-conference soccer clash at Hamilton-Shultz Field.

After battling each other to a draw during a scoreless first half, each school tallied a goal after halftime, as the contest ended in a 1-1 draw ahead of the teams’ conference matchup next week.

West Memphis took a 1-0 lead with 30:30 left in regulation on a breakaway goal by Dylan Wigginton.

That lead held up until there was just 7:08 left in the game when Marion’s Daniel Webster caught up to a loose ball in front of the net and scored it to tie the game.

Marion finished the game with just 10 players after Chris Boston was ejected for taunting following the goal.

Despite the scoreless first half, there was plenty going on, after a certain point.

Neither team was able to get many quality looks in the early portion of the first half, but that all changed with 13:10 left in the stanza.

Marion got a clean look that sailed over the goal and ricocheted off of the crossbar with 13:10 left, and the Pats also missed an opportunity with 10:09 left when the team missed what appeared to be an open net.

West Memphis got its break with 2:33 left and missed two shots in front of the net, one of which was saved by Marion goalkeeper Riley Barnes. The other was poked away without any damage done.

The teams will rematch at Patriot Stadium at 5 p.m. for the girls match, while the boys will get underway at approximately 7 p.m. That match will be a conference showdown.

By Chuck Livingston