WHITE HOUSE Owen Clark has been feeling well following his return to the soccer field … until Wednesday evening.
In his third match back following a four-match absence due to a medical condition, the White House High senior defender suffered a blow just above the eye.
“I elevated for a header … I think I got elbowed,” Clark said as he iced the swollen area.
White House High senior Owen Clark and Beech sophomore Michael Barnard battle for possession during first-half action.
What made Clark feel a bit better was the team’s recent progress.
“We are improving,” Clark – a three-year starter – said. “At the beginning of the season, we had some people starting who weren’t starting last year. They were good players, but they weren’t up to the speed of play. Now, they’re up to the speed of play, and we can all work together as a group.”
Clark returned to action for last week’s 2-1 win over cross-town rival White House Heritage.
He helped the Blue Devils win their fourth consecutive match on Wednesday evening, a 2-0 victory over visiting Beech.
“Owen is huge as far as leading out of the back and communication,” White House head coach Mark Lamberth said. “Leadership is an intangible that is underrated.
“We have four or five guys who are coming in and subbing, and whereas you could tell when we subbed early in the season, now, we’re not missing a beat. One benefit to the injuries we’ve had is we have been able to develop some other players, and it’s showing.”
In the 32nd minute, White House senior defender Matthew Smith played a ball ahead to an unmarked Mark Lees, and the senior touched the ball down and placed a shot into the left side of the net.
White House High senior defender Matthew Smith dribbles to the sideline as Beech sophomore Michael Barnard pursues.
Blue Devil senior goalkeeper Logan Trimmer had to leap to deflect a blast from Buccaneer senior Connor Starr over the crossbar early in the second half.
Beech junior goalkeeper Dalton Hurst made an over-the-shoulder save of Clark’s header in the first half, and Hurst denied a penalty kick by White House sophomore Corey Curtis in the second half.
Then, Hurst sprawled to bat away junior Josh Dunlap’s diagonal shot in the 63rd minute, but Lees converted on the rebound.
White House High junior Josh Dunlap and Beech High junior Noah Baldwin battle for possession during first-half action.
White House improved to 6-2-3, while the Bucs fell to 2-4.
“The games we’ve finished our opportunities, we’ve won,” Beech head coach Jeremy Cooke said. “The games we haven’t, we’ve lost.”
Reach Craig Harris at charris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.