Eagles earn redemption in sectional title win

The Columbia girls soccer team celebrates with its sectional title plaque on Friday evening. For more photos from the game, click here. (John Spytek photo)

Strong second half throw-ins from Columbia’s Jenna Jackson led to goals as the Eagles downed rival Althoff, 2-0, to avenge last year’s season-ending defeat and win a sectional soccer title.

Jackson was credited with a goal and an assist and Reagan Mauch recorded the other goal for the Eagles (24-2-1), who advance to the Class 1A Columbia Supersectional on Tuesday night.

The motto for the Eagles this spring was “Unfinished Business” after falling 1-0 late in overtime to Althoff at home in the sectional championship game a year ago.

“Losing to this team with three seconds left, a game that I’ve never in my life been a part of that kind of emotion to lose like that; our players know what it felt like,” Columbia head coach Jamey Bridges said. “A year ago, May 18, 2018. We marked it. We have a picture in the locker room of (Althoff’s) Julia O’Neill celebrating and (Columbia’s) Chloe (Graff) on the ground. So obviously, all that emotion and all of that we felt like was unfinished.”

Friday’s game in Belleville was scoreless at the half in a balanced match from the start. Both goals for the Eagles – the first with 29 minutes remaining and the second with only 36 seconds left – were scored from Jackson throw-ins from the side that resulted in scrums near the Althoff goalkeeper.

Columbia goalkeeper Rylee Iorio was outstanding in net, making several strong stops.

The Eagles host St. Teresa out of Decatur at 6 p.m. Tuesday for a berth in next weekend’s IHSA state tournament in Naperville.

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Corey Saathoff

Corey is the editor of the Republic-Times. He has worked at the newspaper since 2004, and currently resides in Columbia. He is also the principal singer-songwriter and plays guitar in St. Louis area country-rock band The Trophy Mules.
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