Warriors look toward future
Monica Holland
The Fayetteville Observer USA TODAY NETWORK
Fayetteville Christian’s boys’ soccer team ran through the Sandhills Conference regular season, dropping just one game on the way to a tournament championship. The reward? A first-round road game at defending 3-A state champion Coastal Christian.
The Warriors’ season ended Tuesday with a 9-0 loss in Wilmington, but a successful future is likely just beginning.
“The future is definitely bright. That’s something they can definitely look forward to,” Fayetteville Christian coach Bobby Graham said after the loss. “This is something to build on.”
The Warriors will lose senior striker Jack Allen, who sealed the conference tournament championship by burying a penalty kick late in a 3-2 win over Freedom Christian, and Jacob Coyne, who controlled the middle with poise. Jake Johnson, Jordan Wynn and Nathan Colonair also graduate this year.
Among those returning are sophomore Cannon Baker, whose sliding defensive stops all over the field Tuesday kept the Warriors’ loss from getting even more lopsided.
“It’s crazy intimidating,” he said of the matchup against a state champion. “I go to camps in the summer and play against guys like this. Their unity and teamwork is on a whole other level.
“My plan was just to try to hold my line and keep our guys together but there’s only so much you can do against guys like that.”
The Centurions (5-0) only played four games during the regular season due to a schedule already shortened by COVID-10 protocols, rainouts, and the school going remote over the past two weeks and suspending all sports due to safety concerns related to the pandemic.
They averaged a 5.25 margin of victory and gave up just one goal all year, to Fayetteville Academy in a 3-1 win.
Even after losing eight seniors from last year’s state champion squad, Coastal “had a number of key guys back this seasonwith a lot of experience under their belt,” coach Mike Sheffield said.
The Warriors will be in a similar spot next year.
This season’s league title marks the rise from a winless 2016 campaign, Graham’s first as coach.
The high point comes courtesy of the aforementioned seniors, along with a strong cast of underclassmen, including Baker, Andrew Harris, Coyle Garcia, Preston Frantz, Jaden James, Riley Sweeting, Justin Lagos and others.
For Graham, having his young players get a taste of 3-A playoff competition will give them a higher goal to aim toward.
“This next level is no joke,” he said. “They deserve to be here but they also realize we’ve got some work to do. Leave the field proud, and understand that this is next-level stuff.”
Despite the first-round exit, the Warriors have earned confidence that they’ll carry forward.
“I think we’ll have a good chance next year,” Baker said. “I think we’ll be top dog next year.”
Sports editor Monica Holland can be reached at mholland@fayobserver. com.
Monica Holland
The Fayetteville Observer USA TODAY NETWORK
Fayetteville Christian’s boys’ soccer team ran through the Sandhills Conference regular season, dropping just one game on the way to a tournament championship. The reward? A first-round road game at defending 3-A state champion Coastal Christian.
The Warriors’ season ended Tuesday with a 9-0 loss in Wilmington, but a successful future is likely just beginning.
“The future is definitely bright. That’s something they can definitely look forward to,” Fayetteville Christian coach Bobby Graham said after the loss. “This is something to build on.”
The Warriors will lose senior striker Jack Allen, who sealed the conference tournament championship by burying a penalty kick late in a 3-2 win over Freedom Christian, and Jacob Coyne, who controlled the middle with poise. Jake Johnson, Jordan Wynn and Nathan Colonair also graduate this year.
Among those returning are sophomore Cannon Baker, whose sliding defensive stops all over the field Tuesday kept the Warriors’ loss from getting even more lopsided.
“It’s crazy intimidating,” he said of the matchup against a state champion. “I go to camps in the summer and play against guys like this. Their unity and teamwork is on a whole other level.
“My plan was just to try to hold my line and keep our guys together but there’s only so much you can do against guys like that.”
The Centurions (5-0) only played four games during the regular season due to a schedule already shortened by COVID-10 protocols, rainouts, and the school going remote over the past two weeks and suspending all sports due to safety concerns related to the pandemic.
They averaged a 5.25 margin of victory and gave up just one goal all year, to Fayetteville Academy in a 3-1 win.
Even after losing eight seniors from last year’s state champion squad, Coastal “had a number of key guys back this seasonwith a lot of experience under their belt,” coach Mike Sheffield said.
The Warriors will be in a similar spot next year.
This season’s league title marks the rise from a winless 2016 campaign, Graham’s first as coach.
The high point comes courtesy of the aforementioned seniors, along with a strong cast of underclassmen, including Baker, Andrew Harris, Coyle Garcia, Preston Frantz, Jaden James, Riley Sweeting, Justin Lagos and others.
For Graham, having his young players get a taste of 3-A playoff competition will give them a higher goal to aim toward.
“This next level is no joke,” he said. “They deserve to be here but they also realize we’ve got some work to do. Leave the field proud, and understand that this is next-level stuff.”
Despite the first-round exit, the Warriors have earned confidence that they’ll carry forward.
“I think we’ll have a good chance next year,” Baker said. “I think we’ll be top dog next year.”
Sports editor Monica Holland can be reached at mholland@fayobserver. com.
