Heads up: Powell lifts Greenfield past WCD 2-1 on Senior Night
By Jimmy Lewis jlewis@wilsontimes.com | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Despite being a popular header target on corner kicks for the Greenfield School varsity boys soccer team, senior Will Powell estimates his weighted grade-point average at 4.79.
Should it have the audacity to backslide a tenth of a point in the aftermath of Friday’s senior night clash with archrival Wayne Country Day on Forbes Field, his teammates and coaches will readily forgive him.
Powell, one of six seniors to be honored on Forbes Field before the game, broke a tie with 29 minutes remaining by heading in a corner from sophomore R.J. Shealy, providing the eventual difference in Greenfield’s 2-1 victory.
The Knights completed their regular season with a 6-3 record, and after a scheduled game with Henderson Crossroads Christian was called off, enter the postseason having not opposed one of the 22 programs that could conceivably challenge Greenfield in its quest to repeat as North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A champions. Wayne Country Day, now a 2-A program but Greenfield’s longtime nemesis in the 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference, lost for the first time in six games.
“I usually go in on the corners and we put three in the back because I’m a center back,” Powell said. “I’ve missed a lot this season. The guys pick on me about it; I usually hit the post. But it felt good to get one. It felt good to put my second one in the back of the net for headers this year.”
Greenfield controlled the run of play to open both halves and drew 11 corner kicks. It was No. 10 that was finally the payoff for Powell, timing his run to the 6-yard area to coincide with Shealy’s lofty service.
After spending a good portion of the 2020 season as connoisseurs of the short corner, Greenfield stayed conventional against Wayne Country Day.
“I’m so proud of Will for finally getting that finish,” Greenfield head coach Eric Nguyen said. “Because I know he’s been looking for it all season.”
The Knights, firmly in the renaissance of their self-imposed “second reset” to the year after a 2-3 start, had the foundation of that resolve tested along the way. Greenfield’s tenacious start paid off as soon as the second minute as senior Jeremy Alvarez dribbled in the penalty area and drew a foul. He took the ensuing PK, only to have it saved by Wayne Country Day keeper Thomas Sumner. And despite getting the better of play in its attacking third, it was the Knights that had to erase a first-half deficit off its own corner kick.
Quickly mounting a counterattack, the Chargers went up 1-0 in the 19th minute after collecting possession of the Knights’ corner. Thomas Gurley played it through to Anthony Valentine, who beat Greenfield keeper Frankie Peele for the early lead.
“We really just focused on that second ball,” Nguyen said of his team’s response. “And not diving in for tackles. We knew it was the simple things. We knew it was the 50-50, the second balls and really executing those things. I didn’t even call it out at halftime. They called it out. They knew what we needed to work on. That’s what we focused on, and they got us a result.”
Greenfield equalized before halftime with a pair of seniors. Alvarez found William Smith, who slid into the area and fired a shot past Sumner to make it 1-1 in the 37th.
The Knights opened the second half with the same work rate on offense. As senior Cabell Metts proficiently swept balls out of danger in Greenfield’s defensive third and senior Sebastian Partida settled the attack when necessary, sophomore defender Nathan Lozevski became aggressive with his on-ball runs into Wayne Country Day territory.
“We expected Greenfield to come out the gates, especially with it being senior night and the emotions that go with that,” Wayne Country Day head coach Steve Ellis said. “We were expecting a fast start from Greenfield, and I think they got a PK in the second minute. We tried a couple of different things from normal just because besides being a rivalry game, for a 2-A season, it’s a difficult one with the situation we’re in with the season and limited games. It gives us a chance to try a few new things out.”
Greenfield nearly picked up a two-goal lead with under eight minutes to play, but Alvarez’s nifty pass to Smith in front wasn’t met with a solid touch.
Wayne Country Day generated little in the way of danger over the last 10 minutes, winning a free kick with 3:30 to play and sending it into the Greenfield area. There was contact, but the officials determined it did not rise to the level of a foul.
“I think we’re the best,” Nguyen said. “As long as we show up like we’ve shown up the last few games, I think we should be the favorites to win. Nothing’s guaranteed. You never know what could happen. I talk to the boys about time all the time. You never know what you’re guaranteed to have. So just make the most of each moment.”
Powell certainly did.
“I think we expected a good fight from this team,” Powell said. “But we knew we could beat them, and we did. I think we knew we were the better team the whole time. We just weren’t playing like it until the end.”
By Jimmy Lewis jlewis@wilsontimes.com | Twitter: @JimmyLewisWT
Despite being a popular header target on corner kicks for the Greenfield School varsity boys soccer team, senior Will Powell estimates his weighted grade-point average at 4.79.
Should it have the audacity to backslide a tenth of a point in the aftermath of Friday’s senior night clash with archrival Wayne Country Day on Forbes Field, his teammates and coaches will readily forgive him.
Powell, one of six seniors to be honored on Forbes Field before the game, broke a tie with 29 minutes remaining by heading in a corner from sophomore R.J. Shealy, providing the eventual difference in Greenfield’s 2-1 victory.
The Knights completed their regular season with a 6-3 record, and after a scheduled game with Henderson Crossroads Christian was called off, enter the postseason having not opposed one of the 22 programs that could conceivably challenge Greenfield in its quest to repeat as North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A champions. Wayne Country Day, now a 2-A program but Greenfield’s longtime nemesis in the 1-A/2-A Coastal Plain Independents Conference, lost for the first time in six games.
“I usually go in on the corners and we put three in the back because I’m a center back,” Powell said. “I’ve missed a lot this season. The guys pick on me about it; I usually hit the post. But it felt good to get one. It felt good to put my second one in the back of the net for headers this year.”
Greenfield controlled the run of play to open both halves and drew 11 corner kicks. It was No. 10 that was finally the payoff for Powell, timing his run to the 6-yard area to coincide with Shealy’s lofty service.
After spending a good portion of the 2020 season as connoisseurs of the short corner, Greenfield stayed conventional against Wayne Country Day.
“I’m so proud of Will for finally getting that finish,” Greenfield head coach Eric Nguyen said. “Because I know he’s been looking for it all season.”
The Knights, firmly in the renaissance of their self-imposed “second reset” to the year after a 2-3 start, had the foundation of that resolve tested along the way. Greenfield’s tenacious start paid off as soon as the second minute as senior Jeremy Alvarez dribbled in the penalty area and drew a foul. He took the ensuing PK, only to have it saved by Wayne Country Day keeper Thomas Sumner. And despite getting the better of play in its attacking third, it was the Knights that had to erase a first-half deficit off its own corner kick.
Quickly mounting a counterattack, the Chargers went up 1-0 in the 19th minute after collecting possession of the Knights’ corner. Thomas Gurley played it through to Anthony Valentine, who beat Greenfield keeper Frankie Peele for the early lead.
“We really just focused on that second ball,” Nguyen said of his team’s response. “And not diving in for tackles. We knew it was the simple things. We knew it was the 50-50, the second balls and really executing those things. I didn’t even call it out at halftime. They called it out. They knew what we needed to work on. That’s what we focused on, and they got us a result.”
Greenfield equalized before halftime with a pair of seniors. Alvarez found William Smith, who slid into the area and fired a shot past Sumner to make it 1-1 in the 37th.
The Knights opened the second half with the same work rate on offense. As senior Cabell Metts proficiently swept balls out of danger in Greenfield’s defensive third and senior Sebastian Partida settled the attack when necessary, sophomore defender Nathan Lozevski became aggressive with his on-ball runs into Wayne Country Day territory.
“We expected Greenfield to come out the gates, especially with it being senior night and the emotions that go with that,” Wayne Country Day head coach Steve Ellis said. “We were expecting a fast start from Greenfield, and I think they got a PK in the second minute. We tried a couple of different things from normal just because besides being a rivalry game, for a 2-A season, it’s a difficult one with the situation we’re in with the season and limited games. It gives us a chance to try a few new things out.”
Greenfield nearly picked up a two-goal lead with under eight minutes to play, but Alvarez’s nifty pass to Smith in front wasn’t met with a solid touch.
Wayne Country Day generated little in the way of danger over the last 10 minutes, winning a free kick with 3:30 to play and sending it into the Greenfield area. There was contact, but the officials determined it did not rise to the level of a foul.
“I think we’re the best,” Nguyen said. “As long as we show up like we’ve shown up the last few games, I think we should be the favorites to win. Nothing’s guaranteed. You never know what could happen. I talk to the boys about time all the time. You never know what you’re guaranteed to have. So just make the most of each moment.”
Powell certainly did.
“I think we expected a good fight from this team,” Powell said. “But we knew we could beat them, and we did. I think we knew we were the better team the whole time. We just weren’t playing like it until the end.”
