McClain, Fairfield boys soccer finish with 2-2 tie

LEESBURG — The Fairfield Lions and McClain Tigers played a non-conference match on Thursday, Aug. 27 at Fairfield High School where the two teams from Highland County tied with a 2-2 score after 80 minutes of action.

Fairfield (4-1-1) broke the scoreless tie with the first goal of the match with 23:45 on the clock with a 40-yard free kick goal off the foot of sophomore Blake Walters, as that score stood when halftime. 

The Tigers (0-3-1) tied the score at 1-1 with a goal by sophomore Janson Allison with the assist by sophomore Lucas Banks with 30:24 remaining in the second half. 

The Tigers’ Allison gave McClain the lead with another goal by the sophomore with 12:21 remaining in regulation, with the assist, again, from Banks for the 2-1 lead. 

McClain head coach John Gill spoke about how the Tigers have lost two starters to injury recently and were able to bounce back and play competitive soccer against Fairfield. 

“We have actually lost two starters over the past week so we have had to make some big adjustments, and the guys who we needed to step up did step up. I thought we came off the bench everybody that came off the bench did a great job,” Gill said. “I’m pleased with the result, because it is not a loss, but I’d be a lot happier if we squeaked out a win, so there is still work to do.”

Fairfield forced a tie with the final goal of the match coming from freshman Owen Vandyke with 10:53 on the clock with the assist by Walters. 

“Both goals were out players being in the right place, right time,” Fairfield head coach Justin Sowders said. “Owen was in the right place, right time again, he crashed the box and got into a place where he had an opportunity, and he made the most of it.”

The Lions finished the game with 11 shots with four shots on goal. FHS junior keeper Anderson Humphreys collected two saves in the tie. 

Sowders spoke about his team being able to force a tie after trailing 2-1 late in the game. 

“It shows our mental fortitude, as they were constantly thinking they were in the game no matter what happens,” Sowders said. “We let things control us today that we shouldn’t have, and it ended up showing on the scoreboard. 

“If we play better collectively defensively, we probably win that game, but we let little things bother us, and we didn’t play to our full potential and we came out 2-2.”

McClain keeper, freshman Garrett Webb, made his first start at the position this season, finishing with around five saves. 

“Garrett played in goal the whole game until the last 40 seconds when he got a nose bleed, but he had a couple big saves. He’s brave, and I am proud of his performance,” Gill said. 

Gill spoke about players who stepped up and had solid production in new roles against Fairfield.

“Jeremey Fint has just returned from soccer after taking a year off,” Gill said. “He played right back the entire game. He was the deputy off the bench the past couple games, but now he has to play every minute at right back, and he did a good job. 

“Janson was moved to forward this game and got himself two goals. Lucas Banks was moved to attacking mid and got himself two assists. Everybody did great.”

As the Tigers move on to their next opponent, Gill did talk about the progression his team has started to take, even with it being early in the ’26 season. 

“Essentially it isn’t a hard reset, but we are a very different looking team,” Gill said. “We only have one senior, we have four juniors, so almost the entire team has just recently been a part of the program, and that’s resulted in a lot of guys having to step up, and I am proud of them. They are young, they have stepped up, and I am not super disappointed in our results thus far, especially considering we have played some pretty good teams thus far.”

Sowders also spoke about some players who had solid games for the Lions. 

“Adrian Hale played well again at center-back, and Joel Matthews calmed things down for most of the game when we did get frantic,” he said. “Blake also controlled mid-field for the most part. They fought hard.”

Next for the Lions is a home non-conference match on Monday, Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. against the Clermont Northeastern Rockets at FHS. 

McClain is scheduled to play at home on Saturday, Aug. 29 against the Peebles Indians in a non-conference match at McClain Field.