Hornets blank Mexico, claim share of NCMC title

Fulton senior Jake Pierce tries to maneuver the ball between a trio of Mexico players in the first half of the Hornets' 2-0 victory over the rival Bulldogs on Tuesday night at the high school athletic complex. Fulton secured a share of the NCMC championship with its win.
Fulton senior Jake Pierce tries to maneuver the ball between a trio of Mexico players in the first half of the Hornets' 2-0 victory over the rival Bulldogs on Tuesday night at the high school athletic complex. Fulton secured a share of the NCMC championship with its win.

Whenever Fulton boys' head soccer coach Brad Oestreich sees a crossing shot coming into the box, he almost always expects it to gravitate toward Jake Pierce, the Hornets' senior forward and leading scorer.

"I don't know how to say it, but when that cross comes in, that ball is like a magnet toward Jake's head," Oestreich said.

A crossing shot from sophomore forward Trevor Neal toward Pierce was no different and was dinked into the net past Mexico Bulldogs senior goalkeeper Logan Ray less than five minutes into the match. The goal turned out to be the game-winner and ultimate difference-maker in the Hornets' 2-0 North Central Missouri Conference win over the rival Bulldogs on Tuesday night at the high school athletic complex.

Pierce, who moonlights as the placekicker for the Fulton football team, set the play up with Neal deep in Mexico territory to notch the tally 4 minutes, 30 seconds into play.

"That goal ranks up there just because it helped us clinch a co-conference title, but I couldn't have done it without my teammates," Pierce said.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.