OPINION - Is schedule a good test for Aycock?

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on October 15, 2008 1:46 PM

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Byron Adkins knew what he was talking about and he had numbers to back it up.

The former Charles B. Aycock boy's soccer coach and son of current head coach Kevin Adkins, ripped the Golden Falcons for at least five minutes following last week's loss at state-ranked Wilson Hunt.

During his analysis of Aycock's performance, Byron Adkins looked his former players in the eye and said, "You haven't played anybody, you haven't beaten anybody."

A closer look at the Golden Falcons schedule further explains Adkins' postgame comments.

As of today, Aycock's opponents had a combined record of 64-78-11 overall. Ranked No. 10 among the state's Class 3-A teams, the Golden Falcons (16-1, 8-1 ECC) were one of just two top-15 teams whose opponents had a combined losing record as of Monday.

No. 7-ranked Marvin Ridge's opponents were 50-68-11 at the beginning of the week. On the flip side, No. 1-ranked Charlotte Catholic's opponents had a record of 94-91-11 as of Monday.

During the non-conference portion of its schedule, Aycock chose to stay within the area and play home-and-away contests with Greene Central, Rosewood, North Lenoir, Wilson Fike and a single game against St. Stephens in the Brittany Tournament in Wilson.

Wilson Fike was ranked as high as No. 2 early in the season but has since dropped out of the top 15. The Demons were 9-8-1 entering the week. As of Monday the Golden Falcons' non-conference opponents were just 34-37-5.

Aycock played a similar non-conference schedule last season and ultimately fell at home in the third round of the state playoffs to Jacksonville White Oak 2-1.

The atmosphere Aycock encountered on Senior Night at Hunt last week was hostile, uninviting and made playing from behind increasingly difficult.

However, several Golden Falcons gave into that environment and hung their heads midway through the second half. Kevin Adkins went as far as to point this out following the ballgame.

When asked if he felt in hindsight that his squad's non-conference schedule prepared it to compete on the road against a quality state-ranked quality opponent, Adkins responded.

"I think and this is the way I feel, I feel that the (N.C.) High School Association really should look at this conference," said Adkins. "I think this conference should be with Hunt, Fike, Beddingfield and probably Eastern Wayne and us.

"Nobody would have to travel over 10 or 20 miles and it would be a good strong conference, a very strong conference. But it makes too much sense. But, we've got to play what we can get.

"Next year we're out of this conference. I've already talked to (coach) Tony (Varacchi) over at Fike and I know we're going to play Hunt and we want to play Beddingfield because there's three good competition schools. Plus, we have three JV games with them, and that helps our JV program and it helps their JV program."

In no way is Aycock not a quality soccer team. The Golden Falcons have outscored their opponents 94-11 this season and pitched 10 shutouts. Aycock has scored double-digit goals three times.

Thomas Oliver has developed into a legitimate scoring threat alongside Alex Rodriguez. There is talented depth in goal. Patrick Shultze, Brandon Nelson and Patrick Roosen have anchored the defense all year.

Great teams or players aren't great all the time, only when they have to be. If this Aycock team wants to be remembered as great, the postseason will be the time to prove it belongs.

Otherwise, all those regular-season wins won't mean quite so much.