By By Austin Bishop/The Meridian Star
Oct. 19, 2001
The Meridian Community College soccer team, ranked No. 6 in the nation in the most recent NJCAA poll, is riding a three-game winning streak going into weekend action against a pair of tough teams.
The Eagles play host to perhaps their hottest rival, Tyler (Texas) Junior College, at 7 p.m. on Friday at MCC Field. Then on Sunday Georgia Perimeter College takes on the Eagles at 1 p.m. at MCC Field. Georgia Perimeter and Tyler will use Meridian's field for a 1 p.m. match on Saturday.
Tyler, ranked No. 10 in the country, comes into Friday's action with a 12-3 record.
The Eagles lead the all-time series with the Apaches 9-8 and have won the last five meetings.
Meridian is coming off a strong week of play. The Eagles went to Dallas last weekend to take part in the Thunderduck Invitational and came away with three wins, including a 2-1 win over then No. 3-ranked State Fair (Mo.).
The 11-2-2 Eagles also posted wins over Lincoln (Ill.) College (5-0) and Kansas City Community College (3-0).
The leading goal scorers for Meridian this year have been freshman forward Kevin King and sophomore midfielder Garthfield Whyte with 14 each.
The only other sophomore starting for Meridian is sweeper Cecil Noyce. The goalie is Byron Bent of Slidell, La.
Meridian's only losses this season have been 3-2 to Young Harris (Ga.) College and 3-2 to Pima (Ariz.) College. The ties were both by 1-1 counts to San Jacinto (Texas) and Cloud County (Kan.).
Clements said Meridian's biggest win of the season, other than the one over State Fair, was the 3-2 home win it took over Richland (Texas) College earlier in the season.
After this weekend's action, the Eagles have one more home game, that being Saturday, Oct. 27 against San Jacinto at 1 p.m.
The Eagles will play for the Region 23 Championship against the winner of the MACJC at the MACJC winners' home field on Saturday, Nov. 3. Meridian has won the Region 23 title seven straight seasons, each year the Eagles have had a program.
The Region 23 winner advances to the Mid-Southwest District Tournament in Houston on Nov. 9-10, with that winner moving on to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament in Tyler, Texas on Nov. 15-18.