Thank goodness the inclement weather and potential lightning held off during the match, but for Fontainebleau they generated their own kind of lightning scoring with less than a minute off the clock.
Senior Kaley Blanton made the most of her scoring opportunity putting in a goal from eight yards out in the first minute off an assist by Caitlyn Leumas to spark the Lady Bulldogs.
 Fontainebleau'€™s Casey Adkins (16) races to gain possession being defended by Mandeville'€™s Rachel Robinson (4) in Tuesday'€™s district match played at Skipper Stadium. (Staff Photo by Mike Pervel) |
“Caitlyn (Leumas) played a through ball, and I just came across. It was a good through ball, and I just went far post. My run was kind of behind the defense. It was just a good touch around and to the far post,” Blanton said.
“The early goal helped get us comfortable in the beginning. It gave us the momentum and got us ready to go. Mandeville is always a big rivalry. I love playing them because it is always such an intense game,” Blanton added.
FHS (5-1) remained unbeaten in district play at 3-0, while the Lady Skippers (10-1) slipped to 2-1 in district action suffering their first loss of the season.
Mandeville, which took 12 shots in the match, was able to generate some scoring opportunities of its own later in the first half. However, FHS junior keeper Kaitlyn Villars was up to the challenge and was able to keep the Lady Skippers off the board to post the shut out. Alexa Herbers was named the Lady Dawgs’ top defender, while senior Bailey Kleis got the nod for the Lady Skippers.
FHS’ Herbers said it was scary at first knowing they were going against a really good Mandeville team. “We came away with a really big win against our rival team. Getting the early goal (Blanton) gave us the momentum. We worked out a good defensive game plan for the second half. We went out and executed,” Herbers said.
FHS coach Carly Hotard said Herbers did a really good job cleaning things up for them on defense.
Mandeville’s Rachelle Giroir had a scoring opportunity midway through the first half, but ended up colliding with Villars, who had come out of net to challenge the shot. Giroir suffered a deep bruise just above the knee, which limited her play and mobility later in the match.
Fontainebleau clung to a 1-0 halftime margin.
Carly Hotard said her team’s goal from last season to this season was to come out quicker in matches to establish themselves.
“We definitely did that with goals being scored within the first 40 seconds of each half. Coming out quick, is something that I think we have improved on. I hope we can maintain it the rest of the season,” Hotard said.
Mandeville coach Sean Esker said the early goal and his club’s slow start hurt their chances. “Other than the first 30 seconds of the first half, we were on their end of the field. They had one opportunity and scored on it. We created a couple chances, but didn’t score,” Esker said.
Just as quickly as the Lady Bulldogs had struck to open the game they repeated the effort within the first minute of the second half with senior Lauren Ritch doing the honors blasting in a goal from 30 yards out off an assist by sophomore Casey Adkins. MHS goalkeeper Abby Post was in perfect position and appeared to make a chest high save, but the ball trickled off her hands and fell into the left side of the goal to give Fontainebleau a 2-0 lead.
Coach Esker said FHS’ early second half goal seemed to take the energy out of his team. MHS earned a couple corner kicks in the second half, but couldn’t find the range. Esker kept encouraging his team to pick up the pace in an effort to get his Lady Skippers back into the match.
FHS closed out the scoring in the 66th minute with Adkins’ putting one in.
FHS hosts Slidell Friday, while MHS travels to Hammond to continue district play.
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