Warriors deny Golden Falcons' bid for ECC 'double'

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on May 8, 2011 1:51 AM

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PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock girls' soccer coach Kevin Adkins said earlier in the week it would be tough to beat Eastern Wayne for a third time this season.

The Warriors made Adkins look like a prophet Friday evening.

Brooke Doherty scored the game-winning goal in the 65th minute, and the Warriors beat the Golden Falcons, 2-1, on a soggy Hardy Talton Stadium pitch.

Eastern Wayne claimed its third Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference tournament title since 2006, and beat Aycock in the finals for the second straight season. The Warriors improved to 6-3-1 against the Golden Falcons since 2008.

Aycock suffered its first loss to an ECC opponent this season.

The Golden Falcons (17-4-0 overall) squandered multiple scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes. A corner kick went by the wayside in the fifth minute. Cheyenne Warrick's shot in the ninth minute was saved by charging Warriors' keeper Erika Duke.

Duke saved Warrick's shot in the 17th minute. Warrick's shot in the 22nd minute off Emily Borel's corner kick sailed over the goal.

"We didn't take advantage of our shots," said Adkins. "Eastern Wayne came to play. We had a couple of chances that we should have put away. It's kind of hard to beat a team three times. We just didn't put the ball away."

Jordan Jackson collected a loose ball off Miller Delbridge's free kick and slipped it past Aycock keeper Alex Van Meir to give Eastern Wayne a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute.

Warrick dribbled past multiple Warriors' defenders and beat Duke with a hard, low shot in the 38th minute to tie the game at 1-1.

Eastern Wayne (12-5-0) imposed its physical, possession brand of soccer on the second half. Janielle Danielle and Delbridge limited Warrick's ability to get quality scoring opportunities. The Warriors earned corner kicks in the 48th, 62nd and 63rd minutes.

"We are a team that has to play physical and we have to be able to tactically minimize our errors," said Eastern Wayne head coach Jorg Wagner. "When we went ahead, that's what we wanted to do. We shifted our best athlete, Janielle, to mark Cheyenne and it worked out great. I think Janielle did a great job of controlling her for long stretches, because you're never going to completely shut her down."

The Warriors were awarded a free kick on the Golden Falcons' half of the field in the 65th minute. Delbridge's pass into the 18-yard box bounced off several players before Doherty settled the ball at her feet in front of the goal, and booted into the back of the net for the game winner.

"I was in the right place at the right time," said Doherty. "My teammates set it up. They were the ones working hard. Perseverance was the big thing. We just kept going and never gave up."

Warrick's shot in the 70th minute was turned away by Duke's diving save. Borel's shot in the 71st minute was saved by Duke. Warrick dribbled past an Eastern Wayne defender in the 18-yard box in the 72nd minute and was all alone with Duke, but her shot sailed wide. Duke finished with four saves.

Aycock held a 14-3 edge in shots on goal.

The Warriors open the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs on the road Tuesday. The Golden Falcons entertain West Carteret on Wednesday.