JASPER, Fla. — Joy Brett and Baylor Burch scored back-to-back goals in the final 10 minutes of Tuesday’s game to help the Suwannee High girls soccer team defeat Hamilton County 4-2. 

Brett sailed a 30-yard free kick just beneath the crossbar in the 71st minute and Burch scored on a breakaway three minutes later as SHS edged out a tight match at HCHS.

Down two goals early, Hamilton County didn’t get discouraged. The Trojans turned to some talented sophomores to get them back in the game.

Alli Pinello and Angie Gaspar put in consecutive goals to tie the game late in the first half.

Pinello scored the Trojans’ first goal in the 26th minute on a breakaway. After being stopped on her initial shot, Pinello recovered and kicked in a rebound for the goal.

Gaspar tied the game in the 35th minute, also scoring off a rebound. Senior Diane Carter took a free kick from 25 yards out that hit the post, and Gaspar was in the right position to gain control of the miss, scoring from point-blank range. 

SHS coach Darrell Curls didn’t think his team played its best game. With the district tournament starting Tuesday, Curls was hoping for a better finish before the playoffs.

“They just weren’t listening,” he said. “First time ever — I’ve been coaching for seven years — first time ever I sat down on the sideline.”

It was the second time Suwannee defeated Hamilton this season. Both games were close most of the way.  

Paige TenBroeck and Zoey Layton scored the first two goals of the game for Suwannee. 

HCHS coach Christopher Byrd thought his team had a great chance to win.

Hamilton had two scoring opportunities turned away by SHS goalie Nayleen Pecina — a shot inside the box from Jessica Carter and a breakaway from Gaspar — that could have been the difference in the game.   

“We had several shots that should have went in,” Byrd said. “We had opportunities. Had we gotten ahead, we would have finished it.”

Suwannee is 8-4-2 and will host Lafayette on Friday at 5 p.m. for Senior Night.