Soccer: Chism strikes twice late, Page slips Fairview | Sports

By Randall Perry Last updated May 18, 2022

FAIRVIEW – Charlie Chism shattered more than 70 minutes of scoreless soccer anticipation Tuesday night with a tough header in front of the goal and the Page High School senior tacked on another tally late to lift the Patriots into the Region 6-AA championship.

The Patriots secured a 2-0 win at Fairview in soccer’s Battle of 840 edition. Page, which played for the Class AA state championship last season, will face another rival in Murfreesboro Central Magnet in the region final. The Tigers raced past Sycamore 10-1 in the other semifinal.

“I think we controlled the game a lot and we stayed 100% the whole time,” said Chism, who wasn’t feeling 100% himself prior to the match. “I wasn’t feeling too well, but I felt much better when I started moving around.”

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Fairview’s Rylan Skelton, No. 27, and Mason Dowdy, No. 27, battle Page’s Trevor Rover and David McDougall.

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Thaddaeus Takop and Nate Neeley

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Andrea Giglio and Drew Burns

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Jacob Clevenger and Hyatt McDonald

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Mason Dowdy and Parker Wells

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Jamie Smith and Hunter Varden

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Carter Teachout and Thaddaeus Takop

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Jacob Clevenger and Evan Bone

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Hunter Varden and Jamie Smith

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Hunter Varden, Charlie Chism and Rylan Skelton

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Hunter Varden and Jamie Smith

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Fairview’s Rylan Skelton, No. 27, and Mason Dowdy, No. 27, battle Page’s Trevor Rover and David McDougall.

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Thaddaeus Takop and Nate Neeley

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Andrea Giglio and Drew Burns

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Jacob Clevenger and Hyatt McDonald

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Mason Dowdy and Parker Wells

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Jamie Smith and Hunter Varden

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Carter Teachout and Thaddaeus Takop

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Jacob Clevenger and Evan Bone

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Hunter Varden and Jamie Smith

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Hunter Varden, Charlie Chism and Rylan Skelton

Soccer – Page at Fairview, Region 6-AA Semifinal

Hunter Varden and Jamie Smith

Chism felt ill Tuesday morning and credited his mom for keeping him hydrated and medicated enough to play. Page coach Nate Clapp tried to keep the speedy senior fresh by subbing him in and out during the match.

“We tried to do everything we could to not play him too long,” Clapp said. “I’m super proud of him for sticking with it. Charlie is fun to watch.”

Fairview played primarily a defensive approach with keeper Hunter Varden diving everywhere to make 14 saves and tried to capitalize on several breakaways only to come up short.

Chism struck first when Josh Goodwin lofted a ball in front of the goal and Chism got a head on it to slip the ball over the shoulder of Varden inside the 70th minute. Varden withstood a Page flurry in the 73rd and teammate Evan Stephenson came away with a shot in the 77th before Chism sealed the win.

Hyatt McDonald dribbled into the box and dropped a ball to a streaking Chism in front of the goal for a left-footed tally in the 78th to hush a large Fairview supporters section made up of dozens of students.

“Hyatt just served me on a silver platter,” Chism said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better ball.”

Page pressured most of the first half with McDonald and Logan Mueller producing several quality shots on goal only to be denied by Varden. Fairview coach Shane Smith called Varden “a wall” as he quieted the defending state runners-up for most of the match.

“We don’t walk away with our heads down after this one,” said Smith, whose team has reached the regional in six consecutive seasons not including the cancelled COVID-19 season of 2020. “Hunter was a solid wall today and I’m very proud of my whole entire squad.”

Smith said his team tried to match Page’s aggressive offense with an equally busy defensive effort anchored by Varden with backline defenders like Jacob Clevenger, Beckam Adams and Ryan Skelton constantly harassing Patriot strikers.

The Yellow Jackets produced just a handful of opportunities, but each made Jack Gorman work in goal for Page.

Fairview came out of the half with a couple looks, but none better than Jose Perez’s rocket in the 44th that was tipped wide by Gorman diving to his right.

Page took over again and Jamie Smith had three consecutive shots on goal from the 47th to the 54th. Smith had a point blank shot under pressure ricochet off the crossbar.

“I think we just played really well and kept faith to the end,” Page’s Dominic Quarantello said. “We just kept pounding and pounding and found a way.”

Quarantello served up several corners early and had a shot sail wide in the 69th before Chism’s first tally.

“Fairview at home, you know you are going to get a lot of heart and soul,” Clapp said. “They’re going to play as hard as they can and we know we’re going to get a lot from them. We had to go to work to get it.”

Page and Murfreesboro Central have met twice this season, ending in a 2-2 draw on April 21 and a scoreless tie just last week in the District 11-AA final that the Tigers won in penalty kicks 4-3.

“It is what it is,” Clapp said of the rivalry matchup. “When we play each other, we make each other better.”

Smith thanked the rowdy Yellow Jacket students for producing an atmosphere in the final match of the season for Fairview, the District 12-AA champs.

“That was a great student section tonight,” he said. “It was wonderful to see. We tried to bring it home for them, we just came up a little short, but we will be back.”