The Bainbridge High School Bearcats dropped a 4-1 Region 1AAAA soccer decision to the Cairo High School Syrupmakers Friday, March 27, at Centennial Field.
Syrupmakers sophomore forward Aldair Cortez recorded a three-goal hat trick to lead his team to victory.
The Syrupmakers took an early 1-0 lead when Cotez tapped in a shot past Bearcats goalkeeper Bryce Qukkiams from 12 yards away on a breakaway in the fourth minute.
The Bearcats pulled even 1-1 in the 24th minute of the first half when sophomore forward Leroy Rivera reacted quickly to a Syrupmaker reflection of a Bearcats pass and quickly converted a goal to the left post from 13 yards away.
The Syrupmakers executed a free kick in the 36th minute to take a 2-1 halftime lead. The Syrupmakers were rewarded with a direct free kick from 30 yards away and Cortez ran forward, stepping over the ball and receiving a teammates behind the Bearcat player wall and striking a precision shot from 16 yards away, placing the ball just inside the right post and off the fingertips of goalkeeper Bryce Williams to put the Syrupmakers up 3-1.
The Syrupmakers scored two more goals in the second half to seal the victory.
In the 47th minute Cortez lofted a shot outside the penalty area that sailed toward the Bearcats goal where Bryce Williams tried to contain it, but the ball bounced just out of his outstretched hands and into the goal to put the Syrupmakers up 3-1.
The final Syrupmakers goal came in the 65th minute when a Syrupmakers pass got just past the Bearcats defense result in a goal from a forward from six yards out.