Ayden Duvernay started the goal-scoring party for the E.D. White Catholic boys soccer team on Friday night and ended it as well.
Duvernay scored the first and final Cardinals goals in a 5-2 District 5-III victory over their biggest rival – Vandebilt Catholic – at a frigid Yockey Bernard Field at Harvey Peltier Memorial Stadium.
Temperatures were in the mid-30s with wind-chill factors in the high-20s.
Duvernay scored the first goal in the third minute when he headed home a goal on a ball headed to him by Jordan Servat after a free kick into the box.
After the Terriers closed the gap to 4-2 with 6 minutes left, Duvernay lofted a free kick from 25 yards out over the head of Terriers goalie Landon Andre to seal the win for E.D. White, who as the top-rated team in Division III improved to 11-4-3 overall and to 4-0-0 in district.
“We came out as hard as we could and we had the wind early, so we were looking to get an early one,” Duvernay said. “I think that one set the tone. This win will boost our morale. It proves to us that we can be the best in our division if we play our best. We did a great job.”
E.D. White led 1-0 at halftime but quickly made it 3-0 after two penalty kick goals from Collin Toups within the first 8 minutes of the second half.
The Terriers (8-6-4 overall, 4-1-0 in district, fifth in D-III power ratings) were called for two penalties in the box that led to the goals by Toups.
E.D. White made it 4-0 when Grant DeGravelle scored when he popped a shot into an empty net following a save via a header by Vandebilt’s Brian Gramajo.
But the Terriers were determined to make it a game.
Clinton Erny banged a short shot in near-post off Cardinals goalie Cade Duplantis and in with 9 minutes to go then Michael Folse cleaned up a ball from short range and sent it into the net with 6 minutes left to make it 4-2.
But the Terriers committed a foul with a Cardinals player behind the Vandebilt defense and heading for a one vs. one with Andre that led to the free kick that Duvernay converted for a goal.
“We worked hard and I am happy with the result,” Cardinals coach Roger Bimah said. “We got some momentum with that first goal and Collin has been calm and cool on penalty kicks and sticks them in the goal. We press the whole field and when you play teams who want to pass the ball along on the ground it frustrates them. We find that works for us, but give Vandebilt credit, they never quit. You can’t relax in a rivalry game until it’s closed.”
Terriers coach Paul Shenton said his team waited too long to respond after the Cardinals began finding the back of the net.
“Our response should have been better from our guys,” Shenton said. “We got rattled. We got panicked and we started making stupid mistakes and all of a sudden it was 4-nil. When we played, I thought we looked very good. It was just too few and far between. There were times we should have stepped up and didn’t but credit E.D. White. They were very good and scored five on us, the most we have conceded in four years. It will be interesting to see what the matchup will be like (in Round 2 of district action on Jan. 30) at Vandebilt.”
VANDEBILT 5, E.D. WHITE 0 (GIRLS)
At Thibodaux before the boys match on Friday, the Lady Terriers scored three first-half goals and added two in the second half en route to the District 5-III victory.
In the 11th minute, Megan Blanchard scored from long distance on a shot that sailed just over the top of Lady Cardinals goalie Karlie Toups, nicked the bottom of the crossbar and went in for a 1-0 Vandebilt (18-4-2 overall, 3-0-0 in district, No. 1 in Division III power ratings) lead.
In the 21st minute, Vandebilt made it 2-0 when Molly Thompson got loose on a breakaway and scored in the lower left corner past a diving Toups.
The Lady Cardinals (8-8-4 overall, 1-1-1 in district, No. 5 in D-III power ratings) had a chance to cut the deficit in half in the 25th minute after Ann-Marie Schwaner was taken down from behind in the box by a Lady Terriers defender and E.D. White was awarded an penalty kick.
Stella Schneider took the kick, which was stopped by Lady Terriers goalie Camryn Beebe, who dove to her right and knocked the ball out of bounds, forcing a corner kick that was later cleared by Vandebilt.
“I heard my teammate (Blanchard) pumping me up and saying that I knew where it was going,” Beebe said. “I just focused on the ball and on her feet and went for it. We stepped up as a team and had a really good game. We came out with a really good mindset. It was awesome. I am proud of my defense and of my team.”
The Lady Terriers took a 3-0 lead seconds before halftime when Kat Prentice found herself in front of goal and buried a shot into the back of the net that gave Vandebilt a commanding lead at intermission.
“They were first to the ball and they have a really good team,” Lady Cardinals coach Donald Grabert said. “We are still without a starter (Ashley Breaux) and we are still trying to find out the best spots for people. Our continuity hasn’t been there. We are playing some young kids, but last year we lost 4-0 in the first (district) game to Vandebilt, but we came back and played them again and it was close the second time.”
Vandebilt went up 4-0 in the 44th minute when Toups came out of the box too far and the ball got past her and was put into the back of the net by Thompson.
In the 52nd minute, Toups, who had a number of saves in the match including a couple stellar stops late, again came out too far and Maria Smith popped a ball over her head into the goal for a 5-0 Vandebilt lead.
“We played some good soccer,” Lady Terriers coach Phil Amedee said. “We were clicking on offense. We had some good combination passes and some good runs and played well defensively. We cleared the ball well out of the back and took ourselves out of the pressure. That PK save (by Beebe) lifted us up and we came back and scored a few more goals.”
Beebe was replaced in goal by Kristen Sonnier in the 66th minute.
FRIDAY’S BOYS SOCCER CAPSULES
DESTREHAN 2, CENTRAL LAFOURCHE 2 (at Mathews, District 5-II match)
Halftime: Destrehan led 2-0.
Statistical leaders: Central Lafourche – Cody Dies (goal), Trey Naquin (goal, assist)
Records: Destrehan (5-4-3 overall, 4-1-1 in district); Central Lafourche (6-10-5 overall, 2-2-1 in district)
TERREBONNE 2, ELLENDER 1 (at Bourg, District 5-II match)
Statistical leaders: Terrebonne – Cameron Dowden (goal), Mauro Ramirez (goal)
Records: Terrebonne (14-1-7 overall, 5-0-0 in district); Ellender (3-10-0 overall, 1-5-0 in district)
SOUTH TERREBONNE 4, SOUTH LAFOURCHE 1 (at Galliano, District 5-II match)
Statistical leaders: South Terrebonne – Davy Sasser (two goals), Davis Arceneaux (goal), Kros Lyons (goal), Trey Cavalier (win, four saves in goal)
Records: South Terrebonne (4-8-2 overall, 2-4-0 in district); South Lafourche (1-10-1 overall, 1-5-1 in district)
FRIDAY’S GIRLS SOCCER CAPSULES
DESTREHAN 2, CENTRAL LAFOURCHE 1 (at Mathews, District 5-II match)
Records: Destrehan (9-6-0 overall, 5-1-0 in district); Central Lafourche (15-4-0 overall, 4-1-0 in district)
TERREBONNE 8, ELLENDER 0 (at Bourg, District 5-II match)
Statistical leaders: Terrebonne – Gabby Champagne (three goals, assist), Aliyah Van Buren (three goals, assist), Derryn Himel (goal), Allison Picou (goal), Leeann Theriot (assist), Carlie Clement (clean-sheet victory in goal)
Records: Terrebonne (16-5-2 overall, 4-2-0 in district); Ellender (0-9-0 overall, 0-5-0 in district)
SOUTH TERREBONNE 7, SOUTH LAFOURCHE 2 (at Galliano, District 5-II match)
Statistical leaders: South Terrebonne – Mikenzi Authement (three goals), Wesleigh Chauvin (two goals), Maci Vauclin (two goals), Savannah Anderson (five saves, win in goal); South Lafourche – Vivian Cortés (goal), Brailynn Cheramie (goal), Juliana Ortiz (assist)
Records: South Terrebonne (7-7-0 overall, 3-3-0 in district); South Lafourche (3-11-0 overall, 1-5-0 in district)
--Compiled by sports writer Kelly McElroy.