STAFF REPORT
There has been no separating the Woodland and Adairsville girls soccer teams this season on the field.

After finishing their preseason scrimmage tied, the Bartow County rivals played to a 1-1 draw Wednesday in non-region action at Wildcat Stadium.

Both teams scored from set pieces in the rain-soaked contest. Woodland junior Tiera Feanny converted a penalty kick two minutes into the second half to give her side the lead. In the 56th minute, Adairsville sophomore Megan Hardin found the top corner of the net off a sublime free kick from just outside of the 18-yard box.

“I think it was good for both teams,” Tigers head coach David Sexauer said. “It’s good for Bartow County teams to play, and it was a good game between them.”

While both teams were probably inclined to settle for the draw as the game wore on, especially since the coaches had agreed before the game not to play overtime, Adairsville would probably be the more satisfied of the teams.

The Tigers failed to win for the first time this season after entering 6-0. However, Adairsville had to reshuffle its lineup after having a goalkeeper red carded in Tuesday’s win over Sonoraville.

With his first-choice goalie at home with the flu, Sexauer decided to deploy athletic junior Sadye Johnson between the posts. Despite not having played the position in high school, she stepped up, recording 11 saves in the game.

The issue for Adairsville wasn’t having Johnson in goal, it was the domino effect that her absence in midfield caused on the rest of the lineup that was the problem.

“She played great and looked like an experienced goalie,” Sexauer said of Johnson. “We didn’t have our personality. With Sadye in goal, it weakened our midfield. I made some changes, but that also weakened our strikers.

“We also picked up two cards tonight, so I was reluctant to play them, with a region game next week against Coahulla Creek.”

After fitting in this rescheduled non-region game, both teams will return to their region slates. Woodland will head Friday to another Bartow neighbor, Cass. Adairsville, meanwhile, will begin prepping for next Tuesday’s home game against Coahulla.

Woodland boys 5, Adairsville 1

The Woodland boys pulled away from Adairsville for a 5-1 win in non-region play Wednesday night at Wildcat Stadium.

Woodland led 2-1 at halftime before outscoring the visitors 3-0 in the second half.