R.J. & Sugarfoot

Jorgensen, Reichenberger lift scots to conference Final Four

By Stefan Cooper
Editor
Blount Press Row

Randy Reichenberger has been Mr. Fantastic for the Maryville College men’s soccer team lately.

Overtime golden goal in the regular season finale.

An 8-ball, corner-pocket missile to the far post in the final minute to get the Scots past LaGrange in the USA South Athletic Conference quarterfinals Wednesday night.

It only gets tougher this weekend.

Maryville plays host the USA South Final Four beginning with today’s semifinals.

Covenant meets Greensboro and conference player of the year Jordy Briceno at 4 p.m. The Scots and North Carolina Wesleyan lace ’em up in the nightcap at 7.

The championship match is scheduled for Saturday at 6.

Reichenberger’s goal with 37 seconds remaining to stop LaGrange, 2-1, says a great deal about these Scots. The match-winning blast, part of a two-goal night, pulled him even with sophomore Austin Vinyard for the team lead with seven each on the season. No other Scot has as many as four.

Oh, but there are three — seniors Nate Long and Bret Thomas and sophomore Milan Card — who’ve rang the bell three times. Three others — Jace Burchfield, Trevor McDonald, Kai Miettien — have hit the target twice. Four others have a goal.

That’s 12 guys that can score.

That’s a lot.

It’s often the difference, Reichenberger said.

“We’re a team that likes to press, keep attacking,” he said. “We don’t typically like to sit back. It’s just kind of in our team nature to keep going at it towards the end.”

Freshman Bralen Clouse and all-conference junior Chris Fernandez, whose flick-on set up Reichenberger’s game-winner, set the pace for Maryville with five and four assists, respectively.

The Scots haven’t had the need to score a great many goals this season. Senior and USA South Goalkeeper of the Year Ryan Jorgensen has been lights out between the posts. In 1,299 minutes of soccer this season, the former Maryville High Rebel has allow 10 goals.

Ten!

It isn’t the 0.69 goals-against average, though, that separates Jorgensen from many keepers in the game.

His skills at saving goals rank with the best Maryville has ever known. His touch, timing and ability to deliver pin-point goal kicks and punts 60, 70 yards downfield sets him apart.

He can “put it on a dime,” Maryville coach Pepe Fernandez said.