In potential title preview, Chargers foiled by Alamance rally
By Jimmy Lewis jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Given the opponent, coy was the preferred approach from the Wilson Christian varsity boys soccer team Monday night.
Facing an Alamance Christian squad that entered play unbeaten and in line to grab the top seed in the North Carolina Christian School Association 2-A West region, the Chargers, who can clinch the No. 1 seed out of the East with a victory Tuesday at Raleigh Christian, had little interest in deploying their full bag of tactics prior to a potential rematch in a state championship setting.
Despite that, WCA recovered from an early Alamance goal to take a 3-1 lead in the waning stages of the first half. However, the Warriors slotted home a goal in the 33rd minute, and a pair of long-range finishes from Jonny Cline less than a minute apart in the second half ultimately allowed Alamance to remain unblemished through seven matches with a 4-3 victory.
WCA had its four-match winning streak snapped in falling to 8-3.
“We were looking at a couple of different things in the nonconference tonight,” Wilson Christian head coach Don Samson said. “Just seeing what we could work through, and some of it we saw what we could and where we didn’t adjust well. Ideally long term, that’s going to help us make the adjustments we need to down the road for potentially a rematch in a couple weeks. We’ll see how that goes.”
Certainly, the Chargers found a lot to like after giving up an early 10th-minute goal. Junior Nestor Castro tied it with an unassisted finish in the 16th, while junior Will Hoskins fed senior Ethan Mitchell in the 23rd for a goal that put WCA up 2-1. Roughly two minutes later, junior Peyton Holland’s strike put the Chargers up by two.
It didn’t last.
The Warriors drew within a goal at halftime with a 33rd-minute finish, and used the space granted to them by the WCA defense early in the second half to go ahead for good. In the 48th minute, Alamance began a counter that was flicked to Cline. With no defender between him and Charger goalkeeper Turner Provo, Cline’s accurate chip shot tied it.
Cline’s right leg netted the game winner just 76 seconds later, as he moved to his right and authored a strike over Provo that clanged off the crossbar and past the line.
The mental side of defense evaded WCA, particularly on Alamance’s go-ahead goal.
“We’re not playing to lose by any means,” Samson said. “But I think our effort was good most of the time. I think mentally, we got a little lapsed and forgot to connect it together.”
With 28 minutes remaining, Hoskins sent a low shot along the ground that meandered just wide of the post. But in the 74th minute, WCA generated its most dangerous chance of the second half. Castro clanged a shot off the crossbar that Hoskins attempted to follow, but that effort also scooted wide. The head referee granted a goal kick to Alamance, a ruling that was unpopular on the Chargers sideline.
Outside of that, WCA possession builds in the second half were lengthy on occasion but didn’t yield much in the way of threats on frame.
“We played the ball too direct,” Mitchell said of WCA’s second half. “We weren’t connecting or anything. And we just tried to play through balls the whole time when we needed to play to feet. So that’s what really killed us.”
Wilson Christian was outshot 11-7, with each team putting four efforts on frame.
“I think skill-wise, player for player, they’ve got us on skill,” Alamance Christian head coach Bobby LaTour said of WCA. “And at this point in the game, there’s nothing I can do about that. What we can impact is how hard we play and how much we hustle. That’s what they got challenged to do in the second half.”
Therefore, the exhibition game that wasn’t gives way to a game with ramifications for the Chargers.
“We’re guaranteed a tie for first right now,” Samson said. “Tomorrow secures first, so we have something to play for. Plus I think we want to get rid of some of our frustrations from tonight. It’s a chance to do it quickly.”
By Jimmy Lewis jlewis@wilsontimes.com | 265-7807 | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Given the opponent, coy was the preferred approach from the Wilson Christian varsity boys soccer team Monday night.
Facing an Alamance Christian squad that entered play unbeaten and in line to grab the top seed in the North Carolina Christian School Association 2-A West region, the Chargers, who can clinch the No. 1 seed out of the East with a victory Tuesday at Raleigh Christian, had little interest in deploying their full bag of tactics prior to a potential rematch in a state championship setting.
Despite that, WCA recovered from an early Alamance goal to take a 3-1 lead in the waning stages of the first half. However, the Warriors slotted home a goal in the 33rd minute, and a pair of long-range finishes from Jonny Cline less than a minute apart in the second half ultimately allowed Alamance to remain unblemished through seven matches with a 4-3 victory.
WCA had its four-match winning streak snapped in falling to 8-3.
“We were looking at a couple of different things in the nonconference tonight,” Wilson Christian head coach Don Samson said. “Just seeing what we could work through, and some of it we saw what we could and where we didn’t adjust well. Ideally long term, that’s going to help us make the adjustments we need to down the road for potentially a rematch in a couple weeks. We’ll see how that goes.”
Certainly, the Chargers found a lot to like after giving up an early 10th-minute goal. Junior Nestor Castro tied it with an unassisted finish in the 16th, while junior Will Hoskins fed senior Ethan Mitchell in the 23rd for a goal that put WCA up 2-1. Roughly two minutes later, junior Peyton Holland’s strike put the Chargers up by two.
It didn’t last.
The Warriors drew within a goal at halftime with a 33rd-minute finish, and used the space granted to them by the WCA defense early in the second half to go ahead for good. In the 48th minute, Alamance began a counter that was flicked to Cline. With no defender between him and Charger goalkeeper Turner Provo, Cline’s accurate chip shot tied it.
Cline’s right leg netted the game winner just 76 seconds later, as he moved to his right and authored a strike over Provo that clanged off the crossbar and past the line.
The mental side of defense evaded WCA, particularly on Alamance’s go-ahead goal.
“We’re not playing to lose by any means,” Samson said. “But I think our effort was good most of the time. I think mentally, we got a little lapsed and forgot to connect it together.”
With 28 minutes remaining, Hoskins sent a low shot along the ground that meandered just wide of the post. But in the 74th minute, WCA generated its most dangerous chance of the second half. Castro clanged a shot off the crossbar that Hoskins attempted to follow, but that effort also scooted wide. The head referee granted a goal kick to Alamance, a ruling that was unpopular on the Chargers sideline.
Outside of that, WCA possession builds in the second half were lengthy on occasion but didn’t yield much in the way of threats on frame.
“We played the ball too direct,” Mitchell said of WCA’s second half. “We weren’t connecting or anything. And we just tried to play through balls the whole time when we needed to play to feet. So that’s what really killed us.”
Wilson Christian was outshot 11-7, with each team putting four efforts on frame.
“I think skill-wise, player for player, they’ve got us on skill,” Alamance Christian head coach Bobby LaTour said of WCA. “And at this point in the game, there’s nothing I can do about that. What we can impact is how hard we play and how much we hustle. That’s what they got challenged to do in the second half.”
Therefore, the exhibition game that wasn’t gives way to a game with ramifications for the Chargers.
“We’re guaranteed a tie for first right now,” Samson said. “Tomorrow secures first, so we have something to play for. Plus I think we want to get rid of some of our frustrations from tonight. It’s a chance to do it quickly.”
