100 minutes not enough to determine winner

Fort Scott's Max McAllister (white uniform) keeps the ball away from Spring Hill's Taylor Smith (1) during action at Ellis Park Monday afternoon. McAllister scored two goals in a game that finished in a 5-5 tie. (Scott Nuzum/Tribune photo)

They've tinkered with the rules each year in high school soccer, it seems, trying as much as possible to keep tie games from happening.

But ties still do occur, such as the 5-5 draw between Fort Scott High and Spring Hill Monday night at Ellis Park.

It's the first time the Tigers (2-3-1) have had to settle for a tie since Sept. 29, 2006, when they drew with Coffeyville, 1-1. In fact, the only other tie game in the nine-year history of the soccer program also finished in a 1-1 score -- a 2002 match against Independence.

Spring Hill's Cody Jesse salvaged the tie for the Broncos when he converted a penalty kick in the 80th and final minute of regulation play. The teams then played two 10-minute overtime periods but could not score, even though Fort Scott had several chances.

"I'm not happy with the outcome at all," Fort Scott head coach David Gray said. "The kids tried real hard. There was a lot of effort, especially in that overtime period; we were just all over the place. But it wasn't meant be -- off the post, off to the side.

"We had some good runs and we played hard. There wasn't a problem there. We just got some bad breaks."

Spring Hill also scored the first goal and did so quickly, less than a minute into the game as Derek Bybee put the ball past Fort Scott goalkeeper Grant Wells.

It didn't take too long for the Tigers to answer as Allen Pearson took a pass from Josh Buller and scored his first goal of the season in the eighth minute of play.

Zach Weaver put the Broncos in front, 2-1, in the 11th minute. But Buller scored the first of his two goals in the 27th minute. A couple of minutes later, Buller converted a penalty kick earned when a Spring Hill defender blocked a shot with his hands inside the penalty area.

Eric Kahn tied the match at 3-3 during stoppage time at the end of the half. But Max McAllister scored his first goal of the season moments later to put the Tigers up 4-3 at intermission.

Kahn took a pass from John Dziadura to tie the score again in the 56th minute. McAllister took a pass from Buller and converted it for a score in the 66th minute.

Overtime was required after Jesse's tying goal. It was a "golden goal" overtime, meaning the first goal would have ended it. But although Fort Scott outshot Spring Hill, 10-4, in the overtimes, there would be no scoring.

Wells preserved the tie by making a leaping save on a Bronco shot in the 83rd minute. Just moments later, a Tiger shot hit the crossbar above the Spring Hill goalie.

Jesse missed two chances within two minutes to win the game for Spring Hill, missing a header in the 87th minute and shooting wide left in the 89th.

Buller had a free kick in the 92nd minute, just after the second overtime started, but it was wide. McAllister had a shot of his own seconds later.

Buller had two more chances, going wide right in the 98th minute and then having one last charge smothered by Spring Hill goalie Zach Boyle in the final moments.

"We had the conditioning advantage in the overtime period," Gray said. "We were controlling the ball. We were so close so many times. But we couldn't get it between the pipes."

Each time shot at goal 24 times. Wells made five saves.

The Tigers have to turn right around and travel to Pittsburg this afternoon for a Southeast Kansas League game with the Purple Dragons (2-2-0), who defeated Riverton, 3-1, Saturday. It's the second of four matches Fort Scott plays this week.

"It's going to be a long, grueling week," Gray said. "We're a little banged up. It would have helped to have Chris McAllister out here. He hurt his ankle in our last game and he's gone for a while. With his speed, he could have helped us.

"But we'll have Matt Chaplin back, who hasn't played since the first game with an injury, so that's going to help us. We just have to suck it up and go at them again tomorrow."

JUNIOR VARSITY -- Fort Scott beat Spring Hill, 4-0, in a 50-minute match. Wyatt Hulbert, Kenny Withers, Buller and Pearson scored the Tigers' goals. The JV will play at Pittsburg today following the varsity game.

Goalkeepers

SH -- Zach Boyle (10 saves). FS -- Grant Wells (5 saves).

Scoring

SH -- Bybee (unassisted), 1st min.

FS -- Pearson (1, Buller), 8th min.

SH -- Weaver (unassisted), 11th min.

FS -- Buller (6, unassisted), 27th min.

FS -- Buller, 2 (7, penalty kick), 29th min.

SH -- Kahn (unassisted), 40th min.

FS -- M.McAllister (1, unassisted), 40th min.

SH -- Kahn, 2 (Dziadura), 56th min.

FS -- M.McAllister, 2 (2, Buller), 66th min.

SH -- Jesse (penalty kick), 80th min.