Westchester soccer holds off rival HPCA
• By MICHAEL LINDSAY ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day put away a couple key opportunities and held off High Point Christian for a rivalry win to start conference play.
The Wildcats scored the first two goals of the match — one in each half — then hung on in the final minutes to win 2-1 against the Cougars in Piedmont Triad Athletic Conference boys soccer Tuesday at Westchester’s Kennedy Field.
“We just had to fight, and we need games like that,” Westchester coach Adam Schwartz said. “That kind of had a state tournament feel to it.”
Cleveland Armentrout scored off a turnover in the ninth minute and Max Van Dessel scored on a header off a corner kick in the 47th minute for the Wildcats (6-1 overall, 1-0 PTAC), the defending NCISAA 2A state champions. Max Verellen added an assist.
“I thought we played amazing,” Van Dessel said. “It’s just an amazing feeling as a senior seeing all your teammates work so hard for you — it’s amazing.”
Westchester capitalized on a mistake by HPCA early. Armentrout took the ball from just outside the penalty area, stepped and scored. Then, later in the game with the Cougars trying hard to even the match, Verellen sent a corner kick in from the right flag to Van Dessel along the near side for a header.
The Wildcats’ ability to score on set pieces is a hallmark of their program.
“We implemented that at our last practice and it worked out today,” Van Dessel said. “That was just a huge energy boost because that was something we just put in, and when you see it come through it’s big.”
AJ Ratkus scored in the 75th minute for HPCA (3-9, 0-1), which turned the tide in its favor over the latter half of the first half and into the second half. It had a handful of chances to even the match in the final minutes — including a shot that glanced off the frame with 4 1/2 minutes left — but couldn’t quite find the net.
“I think, honestly, we did really well controlling the game; we moved the ball well,” Cougars coach Austin Beck said. “But we turned the ball over maybe 20 yards from goal and they made us pay for it. We didn’t mark up well on a corner kick and they made us pay for it.”
Grey Lunnen made six saves in goal for Westchester, while Drew Kooistra made five for HPCA — which finished with a 13-12 edge in shots for the match.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 7 among NCISAA 2A teams, will play again Friday at home against Calvary Day, the reigning 3A state champion.
The Cougars, after a few days off for their senior trip, will also next play Calvary on Tuesday.
mlindsay@hpenews .com | 336-888-3256 | @HPEmichael
• By MICHAEL LINDSAY ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
HIGH POINT — Westchester Country Day put away a couple key opportunities and held off High Point Christian for a rivalry win to start conference play.
The Wildcats scored the first two goals of the match — one in each half — then hung on in the final minutes to win 2-1 against the Cougars in Piedmont Triad Athletic Conference boys soccer Tuesday at Westchester’s Kennedy Field.
“We just had to fight, and we need games like that,” Westchester coach Adam Schwartz said. “That kind of had a state tournament feel to it.”
Cleveland Armentrout scored off a turnover in the ninth minute and Max Van Dessel scored on a header off a corner kick in the 47th minute for the Wildcats (6-1 overall, 1-0 PTAC), the defending NCISAA 2A state champions. Max Verellen added an assist.
“I thought we played amazing,” Van Dessel said. “It’s just an amazing feeling as a senior seeing all your teammates work so hard for you — it’s amazing.”
Westchester capitalized on a mistake by HPCA early. Armentrout took the ball from just outside the penalty area, stepped and scored. Then, later in the game with the Cougars trying hard to even the match, Verellen sent a corner kick in from the right flag to Van Dessel along the near side for a header.
The Wildcats’ ability to score on set pieces is a hallmark of their program.
“We implemented that at our last practice and it worked out today,” Van Dessel said. “That was just a huge energy boost because that was something we just put in, and when you see it come through it’s big.”
AJ Ratkus scored in the 75th minute for HPCA (3-9, 0-1), which turned the tide in its favor over the latter half of the first half and into the second half. It had a handful of chances to even the match in the final minutes — including a shot that glanced off the frame with 4 1/2 minutes left — but couldn’t quite find the net.
“I think, honestly, we did really well controlling the game; we moved the ball well,” Cougars coach Austin Beck said. “But we turned the ball over maybe 20 yards from goal and they made us pay for it. We didn’t mark up well on a corner kick and they made us pay for it.”
Grey Lunnen made six saves in goal for Westchester, while Drew Kooistra made five for HPCA — which finished with a 13-12 edge in shots for the match.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 7 among NCISAA 2A teams, will play again Friday at home against Calvary Day, the reigning 3A state champion.
The Cougars, after a few days off for their senior trip, will also next play Calvary on Tuesday.
mlindsay@hpenews .com | 336-888-3256 | @HPEmichael
