Warren Central’s Chase Douglas (24) heads a ball away from Clinton’s Barry Prather during Tuesday night’s game. (Meredith SpencerThe Vicksburg Post)

[12/8/04]Some of Clinton’s best shots Tuesday sailed high or trickled wide of the net. Unfortunately for Warren Central, a couple of fluke shots found their way in.

Michael Pardue scored on a 40-yard boomball in the first half and Adam Maxwell knocked in a rebound goal late in the second to provide all the scoring in No. 5 Clinton’s 2-0 win.

“We had the one mistake on an over-ball for the first goal, and a mistake in the second half,” WC coach Jay Harrison said. “They’re a good team, no doubt about it, and as far as soccer goes they’re better than we are. But they had to work. Our guys fought, and that’s what we’re known for.”

Clinton (7-1-1) controlled the action throughout the game. The Arrows had six shots in the first 12 minutes, and outshot WC 33-4 for the game. Only a combination of missed opportunities and great goalkeeping by Craig Brown kept the Vikings in the game.

Brown made 19 saves, while Clinton sent nearly a dozen shots over the net or through the keeper’s box over the course of the game. Another shot, about 10 minutes into the first half, hit the crossbar.

“It seems like we missed seven or eight point-blank opportunities with the keeper,” said Clinton coach Jeff Long, a former WC girls coach. “Their keeper played an extraordinary game.”

Clinton finally broke through with 3 1/2 minutes left in the first half. Pardue, standing about 40 yards from the goal, simply fired it toward the net. It sailed in behind Brown, giving the Arrows a 1-0 lead.

Clinton continued to put pressure on WC (6-4) in the second half. Brown came up big time and again including a save on a penalty kick but finally cracked on a shot by Hunter Evans. The ball bounced off Brown’s chest, and Maxwell knocked it in to make it 2-0 with 15:35 to play.

The Vikings were finally able to put some offense together down the stretch, managing three shots in the last 15 minutes, but could not score.

(G) Clinton 3, WC 0

On a rain-soaked field at Viking Stadium, Warren Central’s scoring drought continued.

The Lady Vikes were shut out for the second consecutive game, and held scoreless in regulation for the third straight time, in a loss to No. 2 Clinton (10-1-1).

Nikki Bush, Mallory Coleman and Hollye Henderson each scored a goal for Clinton. Emily Coker had nine saves for WC.

Neither team had a shot on goal in the first 19 minutes. Clinton finally broke through when Kendal Lee hit Henderson between two defenders and Henderson put a shot past Coker to make it 1-0 with 16:20 to play in the first half. Four minutes later, Coleman blasted a shot into the net from about 25 yards out to make it 2-0.

Bush added an insurance goal early in the second half, and Clinton cruised from there.

(B) Heritage 12, PCA 0

Porters Chapel showed some improvement from its first-ever soccer game, but was still routed by Heritage.

“It’s a huge improvement from the Pillow game, but it’s not where we need to be,” PCA coach Chris Busby said. “Hopefully we’ll continue to improve and get better.”

PCA will play its first home game Monday at 4:30 p.m. against No. 1 Washington. The game will be at Link Field in Bovina.

(G) St. Andrew’s 3, St. Al 0

No. 6 St. Andrew’s scored two goals in the last 10 minutes to ice a victory over St. Aloysius (3-5, 0-1) in the Division 5-1A-2A-3A opener for both teams.

St. Al will host Cathedral Thursday at 5:30 p.m.