Cape Fear Academy outlasts Grace Christian for boys soccer playoff win
By Jackson Fuller StarNews Correspondent
Penalty kicks have become a routine part of the Cape Fear Academy boys soccer team’s practices since ending the regular season last week.
That preparation paid off in the first round of the NCISAA 2A Playoffs on Tuesday.
Cape Fear and Grace Christian School battled to a 2-2 tie during 110 minutes of regulation and extra time soccer. In the ensuing shootout, the Hurricanes converted their final four penalty kicks to come away with a 4-2 win. Luke Marushack’s low drive inside the left post was the final kick and proved to be the game-winner.
“We were kind of worried going into penalties because (Grace Christian’s) goalie made some great saves,” Cape Fear coach Meade McFarlane said. “But our guys finished well. It was an amazing game.”
Marushack didn’t play a single second before the penalty shootout, but in the practice sessions building up to this match against Grace Christian he established himself as one of the top-five penalty takers.
“Right after the first overtime, Coach (McFarlane) asked me if I was ready to take a penalty,” Marushack said. “I didn’t really think we’d get there, but we did. Eric made some great saves, and the other guys got it done. So all I had to do was finish it.”
The other three successful scorers for the Hurricanes in the shootout were Holt Robison, Zach Tomosunas and goalkeeper Eric Kanzinger.
Kanzinger gave Cape Fear a 3-1 lead after already producing one save and another successful stop when Grace Christian’s third penalty taker lifted his shot over the crossbar.
“I was just trying to focus one stop at a time. Our coaches told us the whole season to not look forward, so I was trying to focus on getting stops before my time came to take a kick,” Kanzinger said.
Before the shootout, Cape Fear dominated most of the match. The Hurricanes outshot the Eagles 21-13 overall and 7-1 in the 30 minutes of overtime.
Cape Fear got both of its regulation-time goals from Tomosunas. He put the Hurricanes ahead 2-1 late in the first half, but Grace Christian registered an equalizer from Spencer Keisweitter just two minutes into the second half.
Still, Cape Fear survived and now advances to the second round. The Hurricanes will travel to Fayetteville Academy on Friday to take on Westchester Country Day. A win there, and Cape Fear will play the following day in the third round.
By Jackson Fuller StarNews Correspondent
Penalty kicks have become a routine part of the Cape Fear Academy boys soccer team’s practices since ending the regular season last week.
That preparation paid off in the first round of the NCISAA 2A Playoffs on Tuesday.
Cape Fear and Grace Christian School battled to a 2-2 tie during 110 minutes of regulation and extra time soccer. In the ensuing shootout, the Hurricanes converted their final four penalty kicks to come away with a 4-2 win. Luke Marushack’s low drive inside the left post was the final kick and proved to be the game-winner.
“We were kind of worried going into penalties because (Grace Christian’s) goalie made some great saves,” Cape Fear coach Meade McFarlane said. “But our guys finished well. It was an amazing game.”
Marushack didn’t play a single second before the penalty shootout, but in the practice sessions building up to this match against Grace Christian he established himself as one of the top-five penalty takers.
“Right after the first overtime, Coach (McFarlane) asked me if I was ready to take a penalty,” Marushack said. “I didn’t really think we’d get there, but we did. Eric made some great saves, and the other guys got it done. So all I had to do was finish it.”
The other three successful scorers for the Hurricanes in the shootout were Holt Robison, Zach Tomosunas and goalkeeper Eric Kanzinger.
Kanzinger gave Cape Fear a 3-1 lead after already producing one save and another successful stop when Grace Christian’s third penalty taker lifted his shot over the crossbar.
“I was just trying to focus one stop at a time. Our coaches told us the whole season to not look forward, so I was trying to focus on getting stops before my time came to take a kick,” Kanzinger said.
Before the shootout, Cape Fear dominated most of the match. The Hurricanes outshot the Eagles 21-13 overall and 7-1 in the 30 minutes of overtime.
Cape Fear got both of its regulation-time goals from Tomosunas. He put the Hurricanes ahead 2-1 late in the first half, but Grace Christian registered an equalizer from Spencer Keisweitter just two minutes into the second half.
Still, Cape Fear survived and now advances to the second round. The Hurricanes will travel to Fayetteville Academy on Friday to take on Westchester Country Day. A win there, and Cape Fear will play the following day in the third round.
