Gaston Christian loses in 3A soccer playoffs
By Michael Hughes sports@gastongazette.com
Posted Oct 21, 2017 at 6:35 PM
CHARLOTTE — Gaston Christian fell by a whisker to Charlotte Country Day on Saturday afternoon in round 2 of the 3-A soccer playoffs involving state independent schools.
Riding three goals in a six-minute span early in the second half, the home Buccaneers beat the Eagles 3-2 at Belk Stadium.
Gaston Christian (18-3-1) had taken a 1-0 halftime lead before Country Day (15-1-4) scored in a flurry and showed why it was the higher seed going in.
“Country Day’s a fantastic soccer team,” Gaston Christian coach Justin Huitt said, “A lot of talented players, and they’re very disciplined. But our boys did a great job.”
Gaston Christian refused to give in after falling behind 3-1 to the swarming Bucs. Nearly 20 minutes later, Eagles junior Jacob Neely punched in a slow roller after a Frank Lopez assist to get the visitors within one. The ball bounced off the Bucs keeper, hit the side post, and trickled in with just under 15 minutes remaining, but Country Day kept the pressure on and held off the Eagles’ spirited comeback attempt in the final minutes.
“[The Buccaneers] were able to tuck it away on us there the first 10 minutes of the second half,” Huitt said, “[but our] guys stayed with it. That’s been their attitude all year.”
The Eagles had taken an early 1-0 lead when Neely nailed the first of his two goals on a crossover shot from just left of the net after the first Lopez assist with 9:09 left in the first half.
Country Day tied the game less than three minutes into the second half, took the lead at the 32:02 mark, and scored what proved to be the deciding goal 50 seconds later.
The Bucs first goal was scored when Stuart Windell kicked it in after two rapid-fire shots were deflected by goalkeeper Austin Helms.
Moments after Country Day’s Walker Gillespie scored on a header, Johnny Bingham scooted a shot just over the head of a charging Helms and the ball dropped into the net.
“We had a couple of opportunities early in the second half right after they’d scored those couple of goals, and just didn’t finish,” Huitt said of his team’s persistence.
Gaston Christian graduates three seniors next spring from its 21-man squad and will stay in the 3-A classification of the NCISAA, although the association will add a fourth division next year, meaning larger private schools like the ones in Charlotte will compete in a 4-A playoff bracket for state competition.
By Michael Hughes sports@gastongazette.com
Posted Oct 21, 2017 at 6:35 PM
CHARLOTTE — Gaston Christian fell by a whisker to Charlotte Country Day on Saturday afternoon in round 2 of the 3-A soccer playoffs involving state independent schools.
Riding three goals in a six-minute span early in the second half, the home Buccaneers beat the Eagles 3-2 at Belk Stadium.
Gaston Christian (18-3-1) had taken a 1-0 halftime lead before Country Day (15-1-4) scored in a flurry and showed why it was the higher seed going in.
“Country Day’s a fantastic soccer team,” Gaston Christian coach Justin Huitt said, “A lot of talented players, and they’re very disciplined. But our boys did a great job.”
Gaston Christian refused to give in after falling behind 3-1 to the swarming Bucs. Nearly 20 minutes later, Eagles junior Jacob Neely punched in a slow roller after a Frank Lopez assist to get the visitors within one. The ball bounced off the Bucs keeper, hit the side post, and trickled in with just under 15 minutes remaining, but Country Day kept the pressure on and held off the Eagles’ spirited comeback attempt in the final minutes.
“[The Buccaneers] were able to tuck it away on us there the first 10 minutes of the second half,” Huitt said, “[but our] guys stayed with it. That’s been their attitude all year.”
The Eagles had taken an early 1-0 lead when Neely nailed the first of his two goals on a crossover shot from just left of the net after the first Lopez assist with 9:09 left in the first half.
Country Day tied the game less than three minutes into the second half, took the lead at the 32:02 mark, and scored what proved to be the deciding goal 50 seconds later.
The Bucs first goal was scored when Stuart Windell kicked it in after two rapid-fire shots were deflected by goalkeeper Austin Helms.
Moments after Country Day’s Walker Gillespie scored on a header, Johnny Bingham scooted a shot just over the head of a charging Helms and the ball dropped into the net.
“We had a couple of opportunities early in the second half right after they’d scored those couple of goals, and just didn’t finish,” Huitt said of his team’s persistence.
Gaston Christian graduates three seniors next spring from its 21-man squad and will stay in the 3-A classification of the NCISAA, although the association will add a fourth division next year, meaning larger private schools like the ones in Charlotte will compete in a 4-A playoff bracket for state competition.
