Tellico earns first win in years through Purple Pounders shutout

It is a feeling that has not been in Tellico Plains for some time.

After over 50 minutes of surviving with a one-goal lead, the final whistle blew between Tellico Plains and Chattanooga Central.

A Bears program, well into its infancy, had won the first game since the sport returned to the school. Tellico traveled to Chattanooga Central, downing the Purple Pounders 1-0 in its season opener.

“Overall, the team was excited and I am excited. Tellico — to my understanding — has not had a win in several years,” Tellico Plains coach Miguel Ovalle said. “We were excited yesterday and they know what is expected of them going forward. To start the season off with a win motivates them and encourages them to go out and get more.”

Rowdy Russell put Tellico (1-1 as of March 24) ahead nearly half an hour in with a special strike. Russell beat a surging Central keeper to a loose ball, but his initial strike ricocheted off the netminder.

Russell cleared his foot through the ball, half-volleying a thunderbolt into the goal 28 minutes gone for the game’s only goal.

Ovalle hopes the win can serve as a sign to the players of the reward for their work and a feeling they continue to chase.

Tellico had success on the wings, generating moments not only from the attackers but from its outside backs as well.

“The area that I felt we really did impact the game was our wingers,” Ovalle said. “Our wingers were doing phenomenal along with our outside backs. They knew where they needed to go up the field to support the attack and fill those gaps.” Laken Woods and Peyton McNabb created on the wings while Caden Payne and Shane McNabb moved up from the outside back positions.

“I feel like they did a phenomenal job impacting the result that we got,” Ovalle said.

Tellico defended a lead for nearly an hour, grinding out a shutout with efforts standing out from center back pairing Luke Harris and Maximo Calvillo — two formidable presences capable of handling the physicality of the position. “We grinded out and it was a long 50 minutes,” Ovalle added. “Everyone grinded out while keeping the majority of possession on the opponent’s side of the field.”