The Brookhaven Panthers varsity team proved why it one of the best teams in the state with a 3-0 win Tuesday night over the Cathedral Green Wave at D’Evereaux Stadium. For the second time this season, the Panthers beat the Green Wave by the same 3-0 score.

Cathedral played a hard-fought game without two of its players — Tate Hobdy, who was sick, and Andrew Stubbs, who had a broken toe.

&uot;We played real well. For the last three years it’s about the same score, 2-0 or 3-0,&uot; said Green Wave head coach Paul Kettering. &uot;Our defense did a great job.

Brookhaven actually had only three shots on goal in the first half compared to seven for Cathedral.

However, Brookhaven’s Chris Bale scored the only goal of the half with 32:30 remaining to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

The Green Wave had some good chances to tie the game in the first half and early in the second half, but Panther goalkeeper Domenick DiPaolo made several outstanding saves.

&uot;Overall I was pleased with the way we played against a 4A team,&uot; Kettering said. &uot;We got a chance to see a different style of soccer. They’re faster position-to-position then we are.

&uot;If we ran a foot race with them, we would lose. Their players are real fast.&uot;

Brookhaven jumped out to a 2-0 lead just two and a half minutes into the second half on a corner kick by Blaine Waldhalm.

&uot;The corner kick is the hardest kick to defend. It’s almost impossible to defend,&uot; Kettering said. &uot;Blaine had a great kick and it curved into the goal.&uot;

Bale then put the game out of reach with his second goal of the game with 5:45 left in the game.

The Panthers finished with 20 shots on goal. The Green Wave had 15 shots on goal for the game, but came up empty.

Cathedral dropped to 5-5 overall and will play at Wesson Thursday night at 6 p.m. If Cathedral wins they will be district champions and will host a playoff game on Feb. 5.

In junior varsity action, Brookhaven defeated 6-0. Lane Lofton scored two goals and Tedrick Ratcliff, Judson Langston, Josh Brister and Justin Sykes each scored one goal for the Panthers.

Brookhaven improved to 7-1 and Cathedral dropped to 4-4.