SPRINGDALE — Tommy Roy’s gamble could not have been more risky.
After suffering two big losses to Harrison in 5A-West Conference play by a combined 13-3, Roy and his Shiloh Christian coaches came to a simple conclusion that a new strategy was needed.
So they went out to dinner following a 7-3 loss to the Lady Goblins, grabbed some dinner napkins and sketched out a new formation that put more defenders in the middle of the field, clogging the area around the goal.
The gamble was that they would not employ the new look until they played Harrison again. And that match up would have to be in the state championship match, provided the Lady Saints could advance that far.
“After we lost to them earlier, we knew we could not play them straight up,” Roy said. “So we devised a 5-4-1 formation that emphasized more defenders in the box.”
Drawing up a new formation was the easy part. Getting to the state title match was another matter. But with outstanding play in goal by senior Paulina Doubleday, who had four consecutive shutouts in the state tournament, the Lady Saints fought their way past a tough 5A state tournament field.
Senior Allie Dougherty punched in a penalty kick goal against Hot Springs Lakeside in the semifinals for a 1-0 win that sent Shiloh Christian to its first title match after three seasons of losses in the semifinals in Class 4A.
The Lady Saints had made it, and Harrison was the opponent. The strategy was now ready to be unveiled.
Roy, who is the All-NWA Media Girls Soccer Co-Coach of the Year with Jason Bowen of Siloam Springs, said the coaches considered using the 5-4-1 formation against Lakeside, a team older and bigger than his Lady Saints. But they also knew that showing the formation in the semifinals would give Harrison the heads-up to prepare for it, something Shiloh Christian’s coaches wanted to keep hidden.
“We knew that if we showed it, Harrison would make adjustments, so we took a calculated risk,” Roy said.
In the final, the new alignment worked beautifully. With Doubleday again pitching a shutout, Shiloh’s one goal was enough for a 1-0 win over the Lady Goblins at Razorback Field. After years of getting so close, the Lady Saints finally broke through for the title.
“I’m certainly proud of my girls and what they were able to accomplish,” Roy said. “It was a great experience just getting to watch them run out on that field after we won.”