Westchester grounds Caldwell, 7-2
Oct 16
HIGH POINT – Westchester Country Day’s boys soccer team stepped up its game when needed.
Deadlocked at two goals apiece, Westchester blitzed Caldwell Academy with three scores in the first three minutes of the second half and ended the regular season by rolling to a 7-2 Piedmont Triad Athletic Conference victory Friday on Senior Night at Kennedy Field
“We didn’t capitalize on some of the opportunities we had in the first half,” Westchester coach Adam Schwartz said. “We didn’t play terribly. We just didn’t capitalize on some of the opportunities we had and they capitalized on a couple they had.
“I just challenged the guys at halftime to just step up and finish. The seniors led us and we just came out with our pants on fire. I knew once we got a couple (of goals) that was it.
“All the credit to Caldwell. They were ready to play and they played us really tough. But we knew that would be the case going in. They always play us tough on Senior Night. I was proud of our team’s heart and the fight that we showed in the second half.”
Westchester improved to 9-2 and 7-2 in the PTAC. The Wildcats are expected to return to action in the NCISAA 2A playoffs next week. Brackets should be announced Sunday.
Westchester is in position to receive a high seed and Schwartz is hopeful the Wildcats will receive a bye for Tuesday’s first round into Thursday’s second round. MaxPreps ranks the Wildcats as No. 5 in the NCISAA 2A and No. 12 overall in the state.
Caldwell dropped to 1-7, 1-6.
“I challenged us to play like a championship team,” Schwartz said. “To do that like we did in the second half against a really good team is good. Now we go to the state tournament and we know that we have to be better than we were in the first half. We can’t make the mistakes we did tonight in a state tournament game.”
Bo Brigman, a sophomore, helped fuel the second half surge. He scored two of the three goals in the deciding run and added another on a header off Carter Scavo’s corner kick for a hat trick and a 6-2 Wildcat lead with just over 28 minutes left.
George Culp, a senior, scored both Westchester goals in the first half for a 2-0 lead and assisted on Brigman’s second goal. Ben Van Dessell and Myles Patterson added a goal each.
Hamer Brigman, Max Verellen also had assists. Wildcat keeper Cook Smith grabbed four saves while Caldwell keeper nabbed seven.
Westchester’s first two goals of the second half came in the 42nd minute. Bo Brigman opened the second half scoring from 10 feet out after taking a pass from Verellen and Van Dessell booted his unassisted goal seconds later. Bo Brigman then received a pass from Culp and scored in the 43rd minute.
Culp opened the scoring in the eighth minute after taking a fastbreak pass from Hamer Brigman. Culp fired a crossing shot from the right that found the net near the left post in the 17th minute.
Less than a minute later, Caldwell got on the board on a high shot that hit the crossbar and dropped into the goal, and the Eagles scored with just over a minute left in the half for the 2-2 tie at the break.
“I think there was more focus the beginning of the second half,” Schwartz said. “I challenged them at the half that they were better than this and to come out and play as hard as you can.
“We wanted them to empty the tank and leave it all out there. And sophomore Bo and freshman Ben really came out hard. They have so much respect for the seniors. I think they were a little nervous in the beginning but they came out on fire.”
Oct 16
HIGH POINT – Westchester Country Day’s boys soccer team stepped up its game when needed.
Deadlocked at two goals apiece, Westchester blitzed Caldwell Academy with three scores in the first three minutes of the second half and ended the regular season by rolling to a 7-2 Piedmont Triad Athletic Conference victory Friday on Senior Night at Kennedy Field
“We didn’t capitalize on some of the opportunities we had in the first half,” Westchester coach Adam Schwartz said. “We didn’t play terribly. We just didn’t capitalize on some of the opportunities we had and they capitalized on a couple they had.
“I just challenged the guys at halftime to just step up and finish. The seniors led us and we just came out with our pants on fire. I knew once we got a couple (of goals) that was it.
“All the credit to Caldwell. They were ready to play and they played us really tough. But we knew that would be the case going in. They always play us tough on Senior Night. I was proud of our team’s heart and the fight that we showed in the second half.”
Westchester improved to 9-2 and 7-2 in the PTAC. The Wildcats are expected to return to action in the NCISAA 2A playoffs next week. Brackets should be announced Sunday.
Westchester is in position to receive a high seed and Schwartz is hopeful the Wildcats will receive a bye for Tuesday’s first round into Thursday’s second round. MaxPreps ranks the Wildcats as No. 5 in the NCISAA 2A and No. 12 overall in the state.
Caldwell dropped to 1-7, 1-6.
“I challenged us to play like a championship team,” Schwartz said. “To do that like we did in the second half against a really good team is good. Now we go to the state tournament and we know that we have to be better than we were in the first half. We can’t make the mistakes we did tonight in a state tournament game.”
Bo Brigman, a sophomore, helped fuel the second half surge. He scored two of the three goals in the deciding run and added another on a header off Carter Scavo’s corner kick for a hat trick and a 6-2 Wildcat lead with just over 28 minutes left.
George Culp, a senior, scored both Westchester goals in the first half for a 2-0 lead and assisted on Brigman’s second goal. Ben Van Dessell and Myles Patterson added a goal each.
Hamer Brigman, Max Verellen also had assists. Wildcat keeper Cook Smith grabbed four saves while Caldwell keeper nabbed seven.
Westchester’s first two goals of the second half came in the 42nd minute. Bo Brigman opened the second half scoring from 10 feet out after taking a pass from Verellen and Van Dessell booted his unassisted goal seconds later. Bo Brigman then received a pass from Culp and scored in the 43rd minute.
Culp opened the scoring in the eighth minute after taking a fastbreak pass from Hamer Brigman. Culp fired a crossing shot from the right that found the net near the left post in the 17th minute.
Less than a minute later, Caldwell got on the board on a high shot that hit the crossbar and dropped into the goal, and the Eagles scored with just over a minute left in the half for the 2-2 tie at the break.
“I think there was more focus the beginning of the second half,” Schwartz said. “I challenged them at the half that they were better than this and to come out and play as hard as you can.
“We wanted them to empty the tank and leave it all out there. And sophomore Bo and freshman Ben really came out hard. They have so much respect for the seniors. I think they were a little nervous in the beginning but they came out on fire.”
