[02/05/01] Warren Central gave up a goal on a deflection, managed only one shot in the first half and hit the crossbar three times in the second of a 3-0 loss to Starkville Saturday in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.

“It’s very disappointing,” WC coach Jay Harrison said. “I’ve got a great group of guys … I hate to go out in the first round with this group because I feel they’re so much better than that.”

It was a defensive battle in the first half. Lief Mylroie had the only goal of the half for the Jackets (15-4-1) when a throw-in at the front of the net deflected off him.

The Vikings (11-12) applied tremendous offensive pressure in the first 20 minutes of the second half, but couldn’t find the net. They put six shots on goal, but hit the crossbar with two and booted several more high or wide.

“That crossbar was our best friend today. I think that thing came down a little bit in the second half,” Starkville coach Brian Bennett said with a laugh.

WC had just one more shot the rest of the way which also hit the crossbar and Starkville put the game away with a pair of quick goals by Jimmy Crowell and Jason Read.

“That sealed it up. They had been playing good the whole game, so I think that broke them there,” Bennett said.

WC ended the season with three straight losses. Harrison said Saturday’s setback was a combination of bad luck and a bad first half.

“We didn’t come out very good in the first half. We were flat … ,” he said. “We came out in the second half with fire and we played well in the second half. I felt we outplayed them, we just couldn’t put the ball in the net … It took us a whole half of a game to get involved and start playing and doing some things we know we can do.”