Aycock's playoff hopes dashed in 3-3 draw

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on October 18, 2012 1:49 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Just four minutes separated Charles B. Aycock from a win that would have given its frail playoff chances a shot in the arm.

The Golden Falcons will have the entire offseason to think about those four minutes.

Anuar Ramirez scored the game-tying goal off Victor Velasquez's corner kick in the 76th minute and Southern Wayne slipped out of Hardy Talton Stadium with a 3-3 draw on Wednesday evening. The Saints (9-7-3 overall) earned sole possession of third place in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference play at 6-5-1.

"That's a wrap for us as far as the playoffs go," Aycock assistant coach Byron Adkins said. "We had to win tonight to keep pace with North Lenoir. We had the lead with four minutes to go, and we had to mark up and we threw it away.

"This one stings a little bit, but every once in a while you need this eye-opening experience."

The Saints' Cesar Benitez scored a pair of first-half goals off assists from Romelio Sanchez and Velasquez.

Collin Zacharzuk found the back of the net for the Golden Falcons on a penalty kick in the 10th minute. Kyle Powell scored in the 20th and 30th minutes off assists from Bailey Lynch and Chris Smith, respectively, as Aycock led 3-2 at the half.

Zacharzuk just missed extending the Golden Falcons' lead in the 64th minute with a shot that missed just high.

Aycock keeper Brandon Merritt made a diving save on Ramirez's shot in the 75th minute to preserve the lead. A minute later, Ramirez collected Velasquez's corner kick inside the 18-yard box and fired a shot past Merritt to tie the game.

"In the second half, we came with more pressure," Southern Wayne head coach Mario Aguilar said. "The pressure paid off and we were able to get it to overtime. We had some good chances in overtime as well."

Neither team produced a quality scoring chance in the first 10-minute overtime period. Zacharzuk gathered a rebound off a free kick and his shot missed just high four minutes into the second overtime.

The Golden Falcons (5-9-4, 4-6-2) failed to score with two minutes remaining in overtime as Lynch's throw-in landed inside the 18-yard box, but Aycock failed to put a shot on goal.

"You've got to find a way to score," Adkins said. "When the ball is presented to you, you've got to finish. We had two good opportunities (in the second overtime) and the ball bounced our way and we just didn't have anybody put the ball in the goal.

"If you don't shoot, you don't score and you don't win."