In their final season in school history, the Hopkinsville Tigers gave their fans one last special gift.
Erick Hernandez’s penalty kick with 8:20 remaining sent the Tigers to a 2-1 victory over University Heights Academy in the Boys’ District 8 Soccer Tournament championship Thursday night at the Stadium of Champions.
The district title was the first for Hopkinsville since 2019 and ended UHA’s hope of earning its sixth straight crown.
Hopkinsville coach Aaron Hutchinson said it was a perfect final district tournament for the Tigers.
Jason Macario gave Hoptown an early 1-0 lead as he took a pass from Hernandez and found the back of the net with 38:13 to go in the first half.
The Tigers held on to the lead although UHA had several good scoring chances near the end of the half.
Blazers’ coach Josh Nichols said his team didn’t match Hoptown’s intensity early in the match.
The Blazers tied the game 1-1 with 36:35 to go in the game when keeper Hayden Fitzsimmons sent a long pass over the defense. Hayden Hunt sent a lazer toward Hoptown goalie Raul Rivera who knocked down the pass. In the scrum around the loose ball, Rivera tried to clear it out but the ball bounced off a Tiger player’s leg and into the goal.
The remainder of the game was a physical, defensive struggle.
UHA had a couple of good looks, including a shot by Hunt that deflected off the cross bar inside the final 12:00.
After the PK, Hoptown then had to fend off a desperate Blazers’ squad the final 8:00. Hutchinson said watching the clock tick down to 0:00 was almost too much to take.
Hopkinsville improves to 11-6-1 on the season while the Blazers fall to 15-6. Both teams advance to next week’s Region 2 Tournament in Henderson. The draw for the tournament is scheduled for Friday morning.
Photos by Joe Wilson