Three more wins at the Kickapoo Tournament bring the Republic soccer win streak to 12 games. The Tigers won one game on Friday, beating Sikeston 3-2, then won twice on Saturday, 2-0 over Poplar Bluff and 2-1 over Greenwood.
On Friday, Republic jumped ahead on a goal by Drew Flippin in the 38th minute. Flippin scored from a nearly impossible angle at the goal line, about halfway to the left corner. He lifted the ball parallel to the goal, over the goalkeeper’s head, and banked it in off the back goalpost to make the score 1-0. Sikeston tied it 1-1, but Dylan Brown scored a minute later to make it 2-1. When Sikeston tied the game 2-2 in the 57th minute, it took just two minutes for Brown to answer again with the deciding and final goal of the game. Flippin and Conner Sutton each had an assist.
Against Poplar Bluff, Republic got two goals from Brown. The first was unassisted, and the second was assisted by Flippin.
In the game against Greenwood, Republic struggled offensively. Aaron Scobee scored the Tigers’ only goal in regulation before they picked up the win on penalty kicks.
The three weekend wins improve Republic’s record to 14-2. It’s the program’s best-ever start.