Bellamy’s 5 goals push Eagles into semifinals
• Fayetteville Academy improves to 20-0 and will face No. 4 seed Caldwell Academy in High Point on Friday.
By Earl Vaughan Jr.
Scholastic sports editor FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
When it comes to sideline demeanor, Fayetteville Academy boys’ soccer coach Andrew McCarthy is normally one of the quieter types. But not Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A soccer playoffs.
An unusually animated McCarthy issued repeated challenges to his players as they passed in front of him. At least one, Justin Bellamy, was listening.
Bellamy erupted for five goals and Fayetteville Academy got an unexpected mercy-rule win, routing Cary Christian 8-3.
The victory improved the Eagles, the No. 2 soccer team in North Carolina among all schools according to TopDrawerSoccer.com, to 20-0. They advance to the semifinal round of the NCISAA state tournament Friday at Westchester Country Day in High Point.
They will face Caldwell Academy, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, which eliminated No. 5 Coastal Christian 2-1 on Tuesday. Caldwell is 17-4.
Cary Christian, the No. 9 seed, fell to 12-4-1 with its loss Monday.
McCarthy laughed when asked about his fiery sideline behavior at the game’s start and said there was a simple reason for it. “We wanted to get a good, strong start and I felt I needed to get into it more,’’ he said. “I got them going there.’’
Bellamy especially. He delivered three of his five goals before the game was 20 minutes old, boosting the Eagles to a 3-0 lead.
“It was my last game at home and I decided to make the best of it, have fun and enjoy it with my team,’’ Bellamy said.
He said they needed the extra motivation from Mc-Carthy because a slow liftoff would have made the game tougher.
“When we see the coach out fired up, we’re all fired up,’’ Bellamy said.
He was surprised the Eagles built that big an early lead. “We just capitalized on our attempts,’’ Bellamy said. “Usually we struggle in the first 15 minutes.’’
McCarthy said Bellamy reaped the rewards of recent hard work in practice, with help from the approach the Eagles were using offensively against Cary Christian.
“We were moving the ball really quickly and they were playing quite a few numbers forward,’’ McCarthy said. “It left a few spaces for us to play in. The fellows found him well when he was open.’’
Bruno Lazaro’s goal with 12:35 left in the first half gave the Eagles a 6-1 lead and started the running clock. The mercy rule in NCISAA soccer takes effect when one team goes ahead by five goals.
While he would have liked more time to play all of his players in the mismatch, Mc-Carthy wasn’t displeased that the fast-moving clock cut down on the chance for any of his players to sustain an injury. He said the team is in generally good health heading to the semifinals.
“When the whole team’s healthy, that’s the best thing to ask for,’’ Bellamy said.
The Eagles will rest and recover today and then Thursday, they’ll begin planning for Caldwell.
“It’s all about managing the nerves,’’ McCarthy said. “You want to be fired up but you don’t want to get away from what we do.’’
Bellamy agreed with Mc-Carthy’s assessment. “It’s all mentality,’’ he said. “We’ve got to stay focused and keep our eye on the goal.’’
Scholastic sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. can be reached at vaughane@fayobserver.com or 486-3519.
Fayetteville Academy 8, Cary Christian 3
Cary Christian 2 1—3
Fayetteville Acad. 6 2—8 Goals:
CC — Cade Beasley, Phillip Posson, Noah Holmes. FA — Justin Bellamy 5, Marcos da Paz, Bruno Lazaro, Emanuel Poulos.
Records: Cary Christian 12-4-1, Fayetteville Christian 20-0.
• Fayetteville Academy improves to 20-0 and will face No. 4 seed Caldwell Academy in High Point on Friday.
By Earl Vaughan Jr.
Scholastic sports editor FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
When it comes to sideline demeanor, Fayetteville Academy boys’ soccer coach Andrew McCarthy is normally one of the quieter types. But not Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A soccer playoffs.
An unusually animated McCarthy issued repeated challenges to his players as they passed in front of him. At least one, Justin Bellamy, was listening.
Bellamy erupted for five goals and Fayetteville Academy got an unexpected mercy-rule win, routing Cary Christian 8-3.
The victory improved the Eagles, the No. 2 soccer team in North Carolina among all schools according to TopDrawerSoccer.com, to 20-0. They advance to the semifinal round of the NCISAA state tournament Friday at Westchester Country Day in High Point.
They will face Caldwell Academy, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, which eliminated No. 5 Coastal Christian 2-1 on Tuesday. Caldwell is 17-4.
Cary Christian, the No. 9 seed, fell to 12-4-1 with its loss Monday.
McCarthy laughed when asked about his fiery sideline behavior at the game’s start and said there was a simple reason for it. “We wanted to get a good, strong start and I felt I needed to get into it more,’’ he said. “I got them going there.’’
Bellamy especially. He delivered three of his five goals before the game was 20 minutes old, boosting the Eagles to a 3-0 lead.
“It was my last game at home and I decided to make the best of it, have fun and enjoy it with my team,’’ Bellamy said.
He said they needed the extra motivation from Mc-Carthy because a slow liftoff would have made the game tougher.
“When we see the coach out fired up, we’re all fired up,’’ Bellamy said.
He was surprised the Eagles built that big an early lead. “We just capitalized on our attempts,’’ Bellamy said. “Usually we struggle in the first 15 minutes.’’
McCarthy said Bellamy reaped the rewards of recent hard work in practice, with help from the approach the Eagles were using offensively against Cary Christian.
“We were moving the ball really quickly and they were playing quite a few numbers forward,’’ McCarthy said. “It left a few spaces for us to play in. The fellows found him well when he was open.’’
Bruno Lazaro’s goal with 12:35 left in the first half gave the Eagles a 6-1 lead and started the running clock. The mercy rule in NCISAA soccer takes effect when one team goes ahead by five goals.
While he would have liked more time to play all of his players in the mismatch, Mc-Carthy wasn’t displeased that the fast-moving clock cut down on the chance for any of his players to sustain an injury. He said the team is in generally good health heading to the semifinals.
“When the whole team’s healthy, that’s the best thing to ask for,’’ Bellamy said.
The Eagles will rest and recover today and then Thursday, they’ll begin planning for Caldwell.
“It’s all about managing the nerves,’’ McCarthy said. “You want to be fired up but you don’t want to get away from what we do.’’
Bellamy agreed with Mc-Carthy’s assessment. “It’s all mentality,’’ he said. “We’ve got to stay focused and keep our eye on the goal.’’
Scholastic sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. can be reached at vaughane@fayobserver.com or 486-3519.
Fayetteville Academy 8, Cary Christian 3
Cary Christian 2 1—3
Fayetteville Acad. 6 2—8 Goals:
CC — Cade Beasley, Phillip Posson, Noah Holmes. FA — Justin Bellamy 5, Marcos da Paz, Bruno Lazaro, Emanuel Poulos.
Records: Cary Christian 12-4-1, Fayetteville Christian 20-0.
