Coastal Christian, Cape Fear Academy ready to renew budding boys soccer rivalry
Jackson Fuller Wilmington StarNews
What's the biggest rivalry in town? Most longtime sports fans would quickly jump to Hoggard-New Hanover football, but two local private schools are throwing their annual high-stakes boys soccer matches into the hat as a nominee.
Cape Fear Academy and Coastal Christian will play each other twice in the next 10 days, and they enter Tuesday's first meeting with a combined record of 11-0.
They've brought home the last two NCISAA 3A state titles - Cape Fear Academy in 2018 and Coastal Christian in 2019 - and a season-sweep would virtually guarantee the Coastal Rivers Conference championship.
But no matter what's on the line, coaches and players appreciate the budding rivalry.
"They are two games we never take for granted," Coastal Christian head coach Mike Scheffel said. "They're always the two biggest games on the schedule, and that's even more true this season with a lack of games and some cancellations. Means all the more to our kids."
Like any good local rivalry, Coastal Christian (4-0, 2-0) and Cape Fear Academy (7-0, 3-0) share many ties. The schools are separated by a three-mile stretch down South College Road, and many athletes on both sides started their soccer careers with the Wilmington Hammerheads youth team.
They also share the same desire to knock off the public schools, an opportunity that won't be available in 2020 due to the NCHSAA's revised schedule.
The rivalry's made a little more fun with the connections at the top. Scheffel was an assistant under Cape Fear Academy head coach Meade McFarlane with the girls team 16 years ago. Today, the two head coaches play on the same adult-league team and have a mutual respect for each other.
"We were lucky to have Mike back when he had his big afro over here," McFarlane said. "It's obvious he's done a great job as the soccer coach and as the athletic director at Coastal. It's always a challenge playing them."
But any truly great rivalry needs championship pedigree, and both teams reached the mountaintop in the last two seasons.
With that kind of recent success, both teams know these matches will be an accurate gauge for their own postseason aspirations. When asked for their favorite memories of the rivalry, both head coaches pointed to season-sweeps during their state championship campaigns.
"Both our programs had chances to win state before, but I think we had to go there and experience the defeats," Scheffel said. "It was special to for both programs to win their first championships in back-to-back years."
On the field this season, both teams have plenty of firepower in front. Johnny Blackburn and Sammy Sanatiello lead the Centurions with five goals apiece, while Campbell McFarlane (11 goals) and Tate Sheally (10) pace the Hurricanes.
The games might be won by which defense and midfield plays better. The Hurricanes have a more-experienced back line, while the Centurions possess one of the area's best goalkeepers in Ian Pridgen.
Whoever comes out on top will be a conference champion, and ready for the season's final stretch.
"If you can beat the other team, especially twice in one year, you know you have a great shot to win the state championship," McFarlane said. "The games are at the end of the season and I think both teams like using them as a springboard into the playoffs."
Jackson Fuller Wilmington StarNews
What's the biggest rivalry in town? Most longtime sports fans would quickly jump to Hoggard-New Hanover football, but two local private schools are throwing their annual high-stakes boys soccer matches into the hat as a nominee.
Cape Fear Academy and Coastal Christian will play each other twice in the next 10 days, and they enter Tuesday's first meeting with a combined record of 11-0.
They've brought home the last two NCISAA 3A state titles - Cape Fear Academy in 2018 and Coastal Christian in 2019 - and a season-sweep would virtually guarantee the Coastal Rivers Conference championship.
But no matter what's on the line, coaches and players appreciate the budding rivalry.
"They are two games we never take for granted," Coastal Christian head coach Mike Scheffel said. "They're always the two biggest games on the schedule, and that's even more true this season with a lack of games and some cancellations. Means all the more to our kids."
Like any good local rivalry, Coastal Christian (4-0, 2-0) and Cape Fear Academy (7-0, 3-0) share many ties. The schools are separated by a three-mile stretch down South College Road, and many athletes on both sides started their soccer careers with the Wilmington Hammerheads youth team.
They also share the same desire to knock off the public schools, an opportunity that won't be available in 2020 due to the NCHSAA's revised schedule.
The rivalry's made a little more fun with the connections at the top. Scheffel was an assistant under Cape Fear Academy head coach Meade McFarlane with the girls team 16 years ago. Today, the two head coaches play on the same adult-league team and have a mutual respect for each other.
"We were lucky to have Mike back when he had his big afro over here," McFarlane said. "It's obvious he's done a great job as the soccer coach and as the athletic director at Coastal. It's always a challenge playing them."
But any truly great rivalry needs championship pedigree, and both teams reached the mountaintop in the last two seasons.
With that kind of recent success, both teams know these matches will be an accurate gauge for their own postseason aspirations. When asked for their favorite memories of the rivalry, both head coaches pointed to season-sweeps during their state championship campaigns.
"Both our programs had chances to win state before, but I think we had to go there and experience the defeats," Scheffel said. "It was special to for both programs to win their first championships in back-to-back years."
On the field this season, both teams have plenty of firepower in front. Johnny Blackburn and Sammy Sanatiello lead the Centurions with five goals apiece, while Campbell McFarlane (11 goals) and Tate Sheally (10) pace the Hurricanes.
The games might be won by which defense and midfield plays better. The Hurricanes have a more-experienced back line, while the Centurions possess one of the area's best goalkeepers in Ian Pridgen.
Whoever comes out on top will be a conference champion, and ready for the season's final stretch.
"If you can beat the other team, especially twice in one year, you know you have a great shot to win the state championship," McFarlane said. "The games are at the end of the season and I think both teams like using them as a springboard into the playoffs."
