By GALE CAVNESS
pressbox1.com

DYERSBURG – It took three days to finally get in the District 14-AA championship game, but it might take a lot longer for the Dyersburg Lady Trojans to recover from Sunday’s 3-1 loss to rival Martin Westview.

Too bad they don’t have that luxury.

After settling for their second consecutive district runner-up award, the Lady Trojans must travel to Jackson Tuesday for the Region 7 tourney opener against Jackson Christian School. The Lady Eagles claimed the District 13 title in overtime Friday with a 3-2 triumph over University School of Jackson.

Campbell Street Church of Christ will serve as the host site for the Dyersburg – Jackson Christian contest this afternoon. The field has no lights, so a 4:45 p.m. start has been scheduled. The Lady Chargers host USJ in a 6 p.m. clash in Martin.

Dyersburg coach Lance Roy hopes his Lady Trojans can but Sunday’s loss behind them and focus on a JCS team that can be beaten.

“It’s a hard loss to take, but we’re not finished,” he said. “They played really hard, we just didn’t execute like we’d been doing.

“We missed a lot of opportunities.”

Roy also mentioned calls by officials, some made and others not made, which went against his troops.

“We had a couple of calls that didn’t fall our way,” he said. “But execution was the key. When the play’s there, you’ve got to make the plays. We didn’t do that for the entire game.

Bad weather forced delays in both districts’ tournament play. Dyersburg and Westview had their Thursday contest postponed until Sunday afternoon. In Jackson, the title match started on Thursday, was halted, and wrapped up on Friday.

Sunday afternoon at Dyersburg Middle School, the Lady Trojans and Lady Chargers battled to a 1-1 deadlock in the first half of play. After the intermission, DHS failed to touch the twine.

A young and aggressive Westview squad got two goals and superb play in the net by freshman Macy Vincent, the tournament’s most valuable player. The Lady Chargers’ roster includes only two seniors.

Martin’s Melissa Johnson scored the game’s first goal with an alert play at the 19:45 mark of the opening half. When a pass struck teammate Lucy Redmond and fell to the ground, Johnson sent it past the Dyersburg keeper and into the net.

Dyersburg freshman Emma Caylor knotted it up on a penalty kick with 6:50 left in the half. Caylor was tripped up while in the box and made good on a solid boot into the net.

After the break, it was all Westview. Alexis Rigazio gave the Lady Chargers a 2-1 advantage with 34:39 on the clock. Nour Haddad gave the guests some breathing room with a goal at the 11:50 mark.

It’s Westview’s seventh district title in nine years. Dyersburg won its last soccer crown in 2004.

“Credit Martin,” Roy added. “They’re certainly a good team.”

2007 District 14-AA All-District Team

Jenni Lynn Rodamaker, Kellie Joyner, Jessie Richardson – Trenton Chelsey Covey, Betsy Keinitz, Kayla Boden – Dyer County Mary Curren Viar, Brooke Hubbard, Emma Caylor – Dyersburg Emily Belote, Maley Mount, Lucy Redmond – Westview

All-Tournament Team

LaQuita Luten, Hannah Wallsmith, Jenni Lynn Rodamaker – Trenton Stephanie Pepper, Erin McAlister, Chelsey Covey – Dyer County Emma Caylor, Brooke Hubbard, Samantha Eakin, Katie Taylor – Dyersburg Emily Belote, Maley Mount, Amanda Crowe, Nour Haddad, Lucy Redmond – Westview

Most Valuable Player – Macy Vincent, Westview

Coach of the Year – Stan Vickers, Westview