Michael Lindsey...HIGH POINT ENTERPRISE
HIGH POINT – Wesleyan Christian boys soccer scored the first five goals and then hung on over the final 20 minutes to beat High Point Christian 5-3 in a battle of state-ranked rivals Tuesday at West End Park.
Malik Brahim scored one goal and dished two assists to lead the Trojans (13-0 overall, 4-0 PACIS 2A/3A), who are ranked No. 1 among NCISAA 3A teams and No. 2 nationally.
Luke Manring, Bailey Allred, Grant Edwards and Drew Glover each had a goal as Wesleyan led 4-0 into halftime, while Evan Allred had two assists and Cooper Robbins and Dan Volger each had one.
Casey Penland had a goal and an assist for the Cougars (5-5-4, 1-2), ranked No. 13 in the state, while Chantz Sawyers and Andrew Moebius each added a goal. Grant Oloffo also had an assist.
“We were good through the first 65 minutes,” Trojans coach Scott Reitnour said. “Then we changed some personnel and I was disappointed we weren’t able to put the Wesleyan stamp on the game. … But High Point Christian kept believing, and I have to tip my hat to their second-half performance.
“We were able to possess the ball, win it back immediately when we lost it and effectively play on High Point Christian’s half,” he said of the first half. “I thought we utilized the width particularly well, and we were able to get in behind them. Basically, we played the way we play – we connected passes, put the ball down and moved it.”
Wesleyan scored in the sixth minute on a long ball that Manring controlled in the box and then in the eighth minute on a missed clear that Bailey Allred won back and finished.
Edwards gave the Trojans a 3-0 lead in the 31st minute on a pass behind the defense, and Brahim capped the first-half scoring inside the final two minutes when he made a run into the left side of the box.
“We just wanted to put the pressure on,” said Evan Allred, a sophomore forward. “We didn’t want to hold back any. We just wanted to give it all we had in the first half. We definitely played well in the first half, but we just lost it in the second half.
“When we’re playing well, it feels amazing because it’s beautiful soccer. It’s one of the best feelings when you’re playing good soccer. … But you just have to keep it in your head that it’s still a game. For us, we don’t just want to win one half – we want to win both halves.”
Glover’s header in the 55th minute gave Wesleyan a 5-0 lead. But then, as both teams altered their lineups, HPCA made an offensive surge sparked by Penland’s goal off a throw-in in the 60th minute.
Eight minutes later, Sawyers finished a one-on-one opportunity to pull within 5-2. Then, with four minutes left, Moebius scored following a free kick into the box – giving the Cougars at least a chance in the final minutes.
“We moved guys around, and it was kind of like a light switch went on,” HPCA coach Austin Beck said. “The guys decided they wanted to work hard and they wanted to play. And when we did that, we were successful going forward.
“And I think that was good for our guys to see. I think it makes us a little more disappointed in the start, because you kind of play the ‘what if’ game. But it definitely gives us confidence going forward to see that, yeah, we can play here.”
Michael Buckland (two saves) and Connor Smith split time in goal for Wesleyan, which plays Davidson Day at home on Friday. Josh Beane (seven saves) was in goal for the Cougars, who visit Davidson Day on Tuesday.
HIGH POINT – Wesleyan Christian boys soccer scored the first five goals and then hung on over the final 20 minutes to beat High Point Christian 5-3 in a battle of state-ranked rivals Tuesday at West End Park.
Malik Brahim scored one goal and dished two assists to lead the Trojans (13-0 overall, 4-0 PACIS 2A/3A), who are ranked No. 1 among NCISAA 3A teams and No. 2 nationally.
Luke Manring, Bailey Allred, Grant Edwards and Drew Glover each had a goal as Wesleyan led 4-0 into halftime, while Evan Allred had two assists and Cooper Robbins and Dan Volger each had one.
Casey Penland had a goal and an assist for the Cougars (5-5-4, 1-2), ranked No. 13 in the state, while Chantz Sawyers and Andrew Moebius each added a goal. Grant Oloffo also had an assist.
“We were good through the first 65 minutes,” Trojans coach Scott Reitnour said. “Then we changed some personnel and I was disappointed we weren’t able to put the Wesleyan stamp on the game. … But High Point Christian kept believing, and I have to tip my hat to their second-half performance.
“We were able to possess the ball, win it back immediately when we lost it and effectively play on High Point Christian’s half,” he said of the first half. “I thought we utilized the width particularly well, and we were able to get in behind them. Basically, we played the way we play – we connected passes, put the ball down and moved it.”
Wesleyan scored in the sixth minute on a long ball that Manring controlled in the box and then in the eighth minute on a missed clear that Bailey Allred won back and finished.
Edwards gave the Trojans a 3-0 lead in the 31st minute on a pass behind the defense, and Brahim capped the first-half scoring inside the final two minutes when he made a run into the left side of the box.
“We just wanted to put the pressure on,” said Evan Allred, a sophomore forward. “We didn’t want to hold back any. We just wanted to give it all we had in the first half. We definitely played well in the first half, but we just lost it in the second half.
“When we’re playing well, it feels amazing because it’s beautiful soccer. It’s one of the best feelings when you’re playing good soccer. … But you just have to keep it in your head that it’s still a game. For us, we don’t just want to win one half – we want to win both halves.”
Glover’s header in the 55th minute gave Wesleyan a 5-0 lead. But then, as both teams altered their lineups, HPCA made an offensive surge sparked by Penland’s goal off a throw-in in the 60th minute.
Eight minutes later, Sawyers finished a one-on-one opportunity to pull within 5-2. Then, with four minutes left, Moebius scored following a free kick into the box – giving the Cougars at least a chance in the final minutes.
“We moved guys around, and it was kind of like a light switch went on,” HPCA coach Austin Beck said. “The guys decided they wanted to work hard and they wanted to play. And when we did that, we were successful going forward.
“And I think that was good for our guys to see. I think it makes us a little more disappointed in the start, because you kind of play the ‘what if’ game. But it definitely gives us confidence going forward to see that, yeah, we can play here.”
Michael Buckland (two saves) and Connor Smith split time in goal for Wesleyan, which plays Davidson Day at home on Friday. Josh Beane (seven saves) was in goal for the Cougars, who visit Davidson Day on Tuesday.
