FLOWOOD — A fortuitous bounce, a few inches and an impressive defensive stand were enough to give Warren Central a huge victory.

Chandler Bounds scored the game-tying goal and assisted on the go-ahead goal in the first half, and the Vikings withstood an offensive onslaught in the second to beat Northwest Rankin 2-1 on Thursday night.

It was a huge early-season win for WC (5-0-2), which remained undefeated by beating a team that has played for a state championship two of the past three seasons.

“It’s a big win because it boosts our confidence up. Now we know we can play with a lot of teams,” WC coach Greg Head said. “They were ranked in the top 10 the first of the year, so it’s always going to boost your confidence when you can play a team like that and beat them.”

All three goals in the game were scored in the first half. Matthew Hall gave Northwest a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute, then Bounds tied it with his goal in the 17th.

In the 27th minute, Bounds blooped a shot from the right side toward the goal. Keeper Ryan Harris came out to play the ball, which took a high bounce over his head right to Michael Mason. Mason gathered it in, then knocked it into an open net to put Warren Central ahead 2-1.

WC took the lead into halftime, but keeping it was not easy. Northwest Rankin (2-1-2) went on the offensive in the second half and outshot WC 9-0. The Cougars, though, had nothing to show for their effort. Four shots sailed just wide of the net and WC keeper Baxter Richardson, a sophomore, made five saves.

The Cougars also missed a penalty kick. Cannon Gibbs hit the post in the 17th minute of the second half.

“We got the lead and we knew we could hold it. We switched our formation up a little and played more defense, but they came on strong,” Head said.

(G) NW Rankin 2,

Warren Central 0

Goal keeper Katie Humphries made 11 saves for Warren Central, but Northwest Rankin sneaked two shots through in the second half to beat the Lady Vikes.

Northwest’s Regan Johnston broke the scoreless tie with her goal 3 ½ minutes into the second half, and Kayla Thompson made it a two-goal cushion 10 minutes later. WC regained some offensive momentum down the stretch, but several passes deep in the Northwest zone failed to connect. The Lady Vikes (5-2) only put three shots on goal.