Soccer Game Preview: Tuscola vs. Smoky Mountain

The Tuscola Mountaineers will challenge the Smoky Mountain Mustangs at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Tuscola is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last six games.

Last Monday, Tuscola got the win against Pisgah by a conclusive 6-2. Considering Tuscola have won five contests by more than two goals this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.

Gracie Rinker and Emma Clancy scored all six of Tuscola's goals, bringing their combined season tally to 25 goals.

Meanwhile, Smoky Mountain kept a clean sheet against Franklin on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 1-0 win over the Panthers. The final result isn't all the surprising considering Smoky Mountain's considerable advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina soccer rankings (they are ranked 95th, while Franklin are ranked 329th).

Tuscola pushed their record up to 7-4 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they scored 14 goals over those three games. As for Smoky Mountain, their victory bumped their record up to 10-3.

Tuscola beat Smoky Mountain by a goal when the teams last played back in May of 2024, winning 1-0. Will the Mountaineers repeat their success, or do the Mustangs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.