The Jefferson County Patriots and the Sevier County Smoky Bears matched up in the TSSAA Region 1-AAA tournament championship game at Sevier County Soccer Complex on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Sevierville, Tennessee. The Jefferson County boys won 4-3. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY DEAN FOX
Region tournament finals don’t usually carry the desperation of win-or-go-home games.
Most moments don’t feel as urgent. Most don’t feel like this.
This moment? It felt … different.
Jefferson County’s boys’ soccer team traveled to face Sevier County on a spring night thick with energy. The Patriots built a 2-0 halftime lead — and lost it. They pulled ahead 3-2 with under 15 minutes left — and lost that too. Then came a red card that reduced them to 10 men, meaning overtime would begin at a disadvantage if they couldn’t score before regulation ended.
With the final minutes ticking away and overtime looming, coach Jason McCoy’s sideline shout of “Find a way!” sounded more like a plea than a command.
Then came a moment out of a Steph Curry/Jauan Jennings mixtape.
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic (KOC) is the proud sponsor of 5Star Preps 2025 Spring Sports Postseason Coverage.
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