The Rebels found themselves trailing to Riverside 4-0 in the third inning when a lightning-bearing gullywasher suspended play Tuesday evening. When the two teams returned Wednesday afternoon to resume, McKenzie washed away its malaise and battled back to defeat the Panthers 9-5.

It was a sweet victory for the Rebels, who had lost twice to Riverside in the regular season. The loss eliminated the Panthers from post-season play.

Two big innings lifted the Rebels from the pit of elimination. McKenzie roared back with five runs on four hits in the fifth inning to take the lead. Riverside got a run back in the sixth on a fielder's choice RBI to knot the score. But McKenzie scored four runs on four hits in the seventh for a 9-5 lead, then hurler Drew Hayes nailed it down for the victory in the seventh. He faced four batters, forcing a pop-up a grounder before issuing a strikeout to end the game.

The Rebels took control of the game in the fifth inning. Clint Manns started the frame off by blooping a single into left field. Jordan Trull walked and Daniel Hollowell reached on bunt hit. Manns scored on a passed ball, then John French cracked an RBI hit to draw MHS within two, 4-2.

With one out, Drew Hayes was intentionally walked and Jake Smith made Riverside pay. He laced a two-run single to tie the game. Mark Ghyers catapulted MHS in the lead with an RBI single.

In the Riverside fifth, Hayes whiffed the side and the Rebels maintained a 5-4 lead. In the sixth, the Panthers tied the game on a fielder's choice.

But the Rebels were undeterred. They bounced back with a four-run seventh. Hayes walked to start their half of the inning. Ghyers reached on a fielder's choice and ran to second. The Panther second baseman faked the tag and that allowed Hayes to score the go-ahead run. Manns cracked an RBI single followed by Brad Campbell's single. Hollowell walked and French drove in two more runs with a base hit. Robert Jones singled and that was that.

French was 3-5, Manns was 3-4 and Campbell was 2-4 to lead the Rebel hitters.

It was perfect tonic for the Rebels, who lost at Riverside just a week earlier 5-2. In the loser-bracket finals:

Camden 12
McKenzie 3
The Lions pounded out 13 hits as they eliminated the Rebels from post-season play Wednesday night.

Camden led 4-3 through four innings and scored eight runs in the final three innings to excuse McKenzie.

Jake Smith was 3-4 with a double. Manns also had a double. McKenzie scored all three of its runs in the fourth inning.

When you figure that the McKenzie soccer team wasn't supposed to win a single game this year, reaching the semifinals and showing improvement against an experienced USJ team is something to be applauded.

The Rebels finish the season with a 2-8-1 mark, including a victory over Adamsville in the District 14 soccer quarterfinals and a tie to eventual regional qualifier Madison Magnet School.

"We lost to USJ 8-0 earlier this year," said MHS coach George Ognibene. "We've shown a whole lot of improvement this year."

The Rebels had chances in many of its games, but being novices at the sport on the prep level may have taken a toll on them.

"When we started the season, I didn't think we'd win a game," the coach said. "But looking back, realistically, the opportunity was there for us to be .500 if we had gotten a break or two; we exceeded a lot of expectations this year."

Just about two weeks ago, McKenzie fought tooth and nail with Madison before winding up with a tie. Madison is heading to the regionals.

"The kids got better as we went along," said Ognibene of the fledgling program. "It was a learning press for the kids to play at the high school level."

The coach gave much credit to Bethel men's soccer coach Kerry Brimmo for his expertise and assistance to the program.

"Kerry basically did everything for us and my hat is off to him," Ognibene said. "I tried to learn as much as I could from him."

McKenzie is planning on fielding a girls' team next fall, but numerous attempts to put a program together last September proved fruitless.