The McCallie soccer team had an opportunity Friday evening to inch closer to the top seeding in the Division II-AA state playoffs as well as defeat its biggest rival, Baylor.
The Blue Tornado did both.
The classification's top-ranked Tornado, ranked No. 6 in the nation according to MaxPreps, won 2-0 over the fourth-ranked Red Raiders at Baylor.
McCallie (12-0-1, 4-0) has two region matches remaining -- at last-place Ensworth on Tuesday and hosting Pope John Paul II on Saturday. A win in either should make the Tornado the top seed when the playoffs begin.
Wesley Brown had a goal and an assist in Friday's win.
McCallie School's Wesley Brown (3) charges for the ball while playing Baylor School during the rival matchup at the Red Raiders home field on Friday, April 24, 2015. McCallie School won over Baylor with a final score of 2-0."This was a huge win for us," Brown said. "Baylor is a great team this year, but we're a high-pressure team and we didn't let up. To put a goal in tonight was the best feeling I've had. Nothing can compare to it."
That high pressure started from the opening kickoff but wasn't lost on the opponents, who had prepared for McCallie to come out strong.
"We knew they'd come out and go 100 miles an hour in the first 10 minutes, and if we held them, we'd be fine," Baylor coach Curtis Blair said.
McCallie's first goal came in the 11th minute, as Brown shook free down the right side before slotting a pass to Will McGregor, whose low shot slid through the net.
That pressure continued through the rest of the first half, but Baylor settled down after the slow start, and led by senior Kyle Johnston, the Red Raiders started to build their own attacks. The lone score held into the second half.
Each team had its share of chances in the final 40 minutes, with shots off crossbars and goalkeepers covering the net with good saves, but Brown put the match away for his team, taking a feed from Drew Viscomi and scoring in the 71st minute.
"These guys just continue to do the work," McCallie coach Chris Cushenbery said. "They're not satisfied and keep playing. This was the biggest field we've played on, and our midfielders did a great job of covering the field and limiting Baylor's chances."
While McCallie separated itself a bit from the rest of the region, Baylor (9-3-2, 3-1-1) find itself in a logjam. The Red Raiders, Father Ryan, Montgomery Bell Academy and Pope John Paul II are all in the mix with no more than two losses.
"Tonight was a rivalry game, but it wasn't real pretty soccer," Blair said. "Tonight means nothing. I'll lose every year, as long as I have a chance to make it to the state tournament."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.