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[Jeff Cunningham]

Kellam falls to Cosby in state quarters
By Jeff Cunningham | jcunningham@hrvarsity.com

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Kellam followed the same formula Tuesday night that won it the boys soccer Eastern Region title last week: sound defense, good goalkeeping and outshooting the opposition.

The only difference this time? Shots didn't find the net, and Cosby walked away from Kellam High School with a Group AAA state quarterfinal win on penalty kicks after their 1-1 tie.

Andrew Mahan went top-shelf over goalkeeper Jordan Martin for the decisive penalty kick. Jordan Grumney had a chance to answer for the Knights, but like two of his shots in overtime, he couldn't find the netting.

"You try to do everything you possibly can," Knights coach Craig Powers said. "Sometimes, though, the ball just doesn't go in the net.

"Give credit to Cosby ... their defense came up huge tonight."

Especially in the second half. The first-year Titans (15-6-1), runners-up in the Central Region, held Kellam scoreless in the latter 40 minutes, finally finding offense in the form of Ben Jessee. The junior midfielder took a feed from Mahan on the right side in the 59th minute and scooted it past Knights goalkeeper Robert Thuma.

That served as the equalizer, as Kellam (18-3) scored in the 17th minute. Matt Hampton served a feed into the box for Grumney, but the ball scooted just out of his reach. Titans goalkeeper Sean Stowe positioned himself for Grumney's impending kick, though, and watched helplessly as the ball slid past him and into the goal.

It was that kind of night for Grumney, who had scoring chances in the second half and overtime, only to be thwarted at every turn. He almost won the match for Kellam with 2:53 left in regulation, but his point-blank shot nestled into Stowe's hands.

The same scenario played out twice more in overtime -- once in the second five-minute section and again in the second golden-goal period.

"We had our chances," Powers said. "At the end of the day, that's all you can really ask for."

"I tell you, we just beat an unbelievable team," Cosby coach Mike Anderson said. "I thought there for a while we were lucky to even hang with them. We made some adjustments in the second half and just kept battling."

Cosby, a school in its first year located in Chesterfield County, won its first state tournament match. The Titans advance to Friday's semifinal round, where they'll play Jefferson of Alexandria at 3 p.m. at Christopher Newport University.

Cox also advanced to the semifinals, winning at Central Region champion Hanover 3-1.


GROUP AAA BOYS SOCCER QUARTERFINAL at Kellam High School
Cosby d. Kellam on penalty kicks after 1-1 tie
Halftime -- Kellam 1-0. Regulation goals -- Cosby, Jessee. Kellam, Hampton. Assist -- Cosby, Mahan. Penalty-kick shootout goals -- Cosby, Jessee, Mahan. Kellam, Hampton. Shots -- Kellam 20, Cosby 9. Saves -- Cosby, Stowe 9. Kellam, Thuma 2. Records -- Cosby 15-6-1, Kellam 18-3.