Coastal Christian soccer headed back to NCISAA 2A state title game
By Tim Hower StarNews Staff
Perhaps the second time is the charm for the Coastal Christian boys soccer team.
After a heartbreaking loss in the NCISAA 2A state championship a season ago, the second-seeded Centurions are headed back to the title game after a dominant 3-0 victory over two-time defending champion Asheville Christian Academy on Tuesday.
“Revenge is definitely a part of it and it felt good to get it, but it’s about the brotherhood,” said senior Matt Ward, who assisted on all three goals. “It’s about us working as hard as we can, not dropping the level and getting back to a state championship.”
The Centurions (16-7-1) will need to avenge a pair of regular season losses to No. 1 Fayetteville Academy to claim the title Saturday. The game will be played at noon at Westchester Country Day School.
Fayetteville Academy won the Coastal Rivers Conference meetings 5-2 and 4-0.
On Tuesday, Coastal Christian did get revenge on the Lions, who clinched last year’s title with a dramatic 3-2 victory in the first period of golden goal overtime. Ward’s corner kick was deflected in by sophomore Jackson Snyder in the sixth minute to set the tone.
Ward, who is committed to Longwood, split a pair of defenders and played a perfect cross to Walker Henderson to put the Centurions on top 2-0 in the 29th minute.
The game was all but sealed in the 47th minute when Isaiah Brooks headed home yet another cross from the talented senior midfielder.
“It’s tough to put into words what he’s meant to this program,” Coastal Christian coach Mike Scheffel said about Ward. “He’s poured everything he’s had into this program over the past four years. He finished undefeated at home in the playoffs for his entire career.”
Asheville Christian Academy (16-7-1), which had picked up three consecutive 1-0 postseason wins, pushed everyone forward late in the second half but to no avail. Coastal Christian’s back line did good to clear anything dangerous and sophomore goalkeeper Chase Godwin preserved the clean sheet by making six saves.
“Our defense was solid the last few games of the season and in the playoffs,” Scheffel said. “We knew we needed a good performance from them. It was a little shaky to start, but I thought they were solid keeping it safe in the back.”
By Tim Hower StarNews Staff
Perhaps the second time is the charm for the Coastal Christian boys soccer team.
After a heartbreaking loss in the NCISAA 2A state championship a season ago, the second-seeded Centurions are headed back to the title game after a dominant 3-0 victory over two-time defending champion Asheville Christian Academy on Tuesday.
“Revenge is definitely a part of it and it felt good to get it, but it’s about the brotherhood,” said senior Matt Ward, who assisted on all three goals. “It’s about us working as hard as we can, not dropping the level and getting back to a state championship.”
The Centurions (16-7-1) will need to avenge a pair of regular season losses to No. 1 Fayetteville Academy to claim the title Saturday. The game will be played at noon at Westchester Country Day School.
Fayetteville Academy won the Coastal Rivers Conference meetings 5-2 and 4-0.
On Tuesday, Coastal Christian did get revenge on the Lions, who clinched last year’s title with a dramatic 3-2 victory in the first period of golden goal overtime. Ward’s corner kick was deflected in by sophomore Jackson Snyder in the sixth minute to set the tone.
Ward, who is committed to Longwood, split a pair of defenders and played a perfect cross to Walker Henderson to put the Centurions on top 2-0 in the 29th minute.
The game was all but sealed in the 47th minute when Isaiah Brooks headed home yet another cross from the talented senior midfielder.
“It’s tough to put into words what he’s meant to this program,” Coastal Christian coach Mike Scheffel said about Ward. “He’s poured everything he’s had into this program over the past four years. He finished undefeated at home in the playoffs for his entire career.”
Asheville Christian Academy (16-7-1), which had picked up three consecutive 1-0 postseason wins, pushed everyone forward late in the second half but to no avail. Coastal Christian’s back line did good to clear anything dangerous and sophomore goalkeeper Chase Godwin preserved the clean sheet by making six saves.
“Our defense was solid the last few games of the season and in the playoffs,” Scheffel said. “We knew we needed a good performance from them. It was a little shaky to start, but I thought they were solid keeping it safe in the back.”
