Hamra fuels Sikeston in 1-0 win over Perryville

sports@standard-democrat.com

SIKESTON -- One slip, one blink or one missed play would be the demise of one team by the way Sikeston and Perryville played out its defensive battle.

The first and only blunder came from the Perryville side as Sikeston slipped away with a 1-0 win Wednesday at the Sikeston Sports Complex.

Grace Hamra scored in the 61st minute on a shot that went through the hands and legs of Perryville keeper Miranda Stortz.

"You put your shots on frame and sometimes that happens," Sikeston head coach Gabe Dement said. "You don't put them on frame you can't score. Perryville's a good team and Jerry (Fulton) is a great coach. As far as we were concerned we knew it was going to be a battle. I was hoping our girls would respond and fight. They did."

Hamra's goal was the first of the year for the sophomore and was assisted by Kyra Rainwater, also her first assist of the season.

Sikeston (12-10) avenged an earlier season loss to Perryville by the same score. Sikeston has also won four-straight games and five of its last six entering its last regular season game tomorrow at Fredericktown.

"We weren't on our A-game that's for sure," Fulton said. "Sikeston never quit. They played hard and got the victory for it."

Possession was mostly in favor of Perryville, Class 2, District 1's second seed, for most of the match. They out-shot Sikeston 25-16 and was in attack mode for the majority of the first half.

"We kind of weathered a bit of a storm in the first half as far as Perryville getting more chances than us," Dement said.

Junior Torrie Helms, Sikeston's leading goal scorer, put one of her limited chances off the crossbar with just over 10 minutes to go in the first half but each team played to a scoreless stalemate in the first 40 mintues.

Sikeston keeper Madeline Witt stops a Perryville shot in front of her goal Wednesday at the Sikeston Sports Complex. (Chris Pobst photo)

Sikeston keeper Madeline Witt stops a Perryville shot in front of her goal Wednesday at the Sikeston Sports Complex. (Chris Pobst photo)

Possession became neutral in the second half as Sikeston began its attack and forced transition to its side.

"I got a lot more fight from them in the second half," Dement said. "The second half we started going to the ball and tried to dictate play ourselves."

It was during one of those attacks that Hamra gained control and sent a shot towards Stortz, who mishandled the attempt and gave Sikeston the 1-0 lead.

"Grace has been in a slump as far as scoring goes for us," Dement said. "She's been our assist girl for us. She finally put one in the net. Has to feel good for her."

It was a crushing blow for a Perryville team that's lost four of its last five that included three-straight. They started the year 13-2 and are now 14-6.

"It went through the goalie's hands and legs. It should have never went in," said Fulton. "That's what I saw."

Sikeston's defense did its part by standing firm against a team that has averaged 2.5 goals per game this season. Keeper Madeline Witt and the defense in front of her recorded its eighth shutout of the year.

"I tell the girls if we shut them out we can't lose," Dement said. "Madeline Witt and her defense has been good for us."

Sikeston finishes its regular season schedule today then begins the Class 3, District 1 tournament on Monday as the third seed. They will play No. 2 Cape Central, a team they've split with in two games, at 7 p.m.

"We can't be satisfied with this," Dement said. "We have to keep moving forward. We've got a big week next week and one against Fredericktown. We can't have a lull."