Pioneer Soccer Team Advances in Region Play

East Ridge got past a determined Loudon team, 3-2, Tuesday in the Region 3 AA Soccer Tournament at Camp Jordan.

With 10 minutes remaining in the game, Adam Adem scored the winning goal from Coy Vandergriff, a through ball to the corner of the box from 18 yards out.

Pioneer Coach Jeremy McIntyre said the Loudon squad was really tough and applauded the play of his goalkeeper Tony Acuff. “He made some really great saves to keep us in the game,” McIntyre said.

Loudon out shot East Ridge, 15-5.

East Ridge led 2-0 at the half courtesy of a goal by Adem with an assist by Rijad Kazic. Adem had a break away in the penalty box and goalkeeper tackled him before he could score. The Loudon goalkeeper received a penalty card and Hunter Schobert put in the penalty kick. McIntyre said Loudon had to play down a man.

Loudon rallied for two goals in the first 20 minutes of the second half. Jesus Medina rifled a free kick 25 yards scoring off the hands of Acuff. Fransisco Aguilera scored off a header from a long throw in.

The win puts the Pioneers (13-2) into the region finals against Boyd Buchanan. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday at Camp Jordan. By virtue of advancing to the region finals, East Ridge will qualify to play in the Sectionals this weekend.

About Dick Cook

Dick Cook has lived in East Ridge since the Kennedy Administration when his parents bought a house on Marietta Street. Dick graduated from ERHS in 1976 before going on to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he studied Political Science. Dick worked for the Chattanooga Free-Press and the Chattanooga Times Free Press for 22 years. Free-Press Sports Editor Roy Exum plucked him out of production in 1989 and gave him a job as a sports reporter. Dick covered everything from prep sports to the whitewater events on the Ocoee River for the 1996 Olympics. When Chattanooga's two paper's merged, he became the Crime Reporter covering both the Chattanooga Police and Fire Departments. He was among reporters who were honored by the Associated Press for the TFP's coverage of the 2002 fog-shrouded crash on I-75 in Catoosa County, Dick and his wife, Cathy, live on Marlboro Avenue where they are seen frequently chasing around their three grandsons.