By By Jeff Byrd/The Meridian Star
Nov. 19, 2001
TYLER, Texas Playing its own version of the "Fast and the Furious," the Meridian Community College Eagles soccer team buried Schoolcraft (Mich.) College 11-4 here on Sunday morning at Pat Hartley Field on the final day of the NJCAA Men's Division I National Tournament.
The victory clinched a national fourth place finish for the Eagles. They end the season with two straight wins at the National Tournament and a 19-3-2 overall record. Schoolcraft, 18-4-1, dropped to sixth in the eight-team field.
The Eagles scored early and scored often. None had a bigger day than freshmen forward Mahlon Sullivan. Sullivan recorded five goals and two assists. Garthfield Whyte had one goal and three assists while Kevin King had three goals and Chris Beard had two.
Schoolcraft's aggressive offensive approach helped put them in a defensive bind. Meridian was able to capitalize with several one-on-one or two-on-one break-outs.
Part of the reason was the ball-controlling play of Whyte and sweeper Cecil Noyce. They would turn plays deep inside the