Sluggish CBA gets just enough offense against Chargers

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 5, 2013 1:47 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Fatigued from a physical match just 24 hours earlier, Charles B. Aycock seemed to flat-line for most of the first half against Wayne Country Day on Wednesday afternoon.

The Golden Falcons missed scoring opportunities on set pieces and failed to recognize offside traps, which allowed the Chargers' defense to post a first-half shutout for 39-plus minutes.

But their slight misfortune jump-started the Golden Falcons' fading heartbeat. Collin Zacharzuk notched the eventual game-winning goal during stoppage time of the opening half, and C.B. Aycock claimed a 2-0 win on a rain-slickened pitch Wednesday afternoon.

Juninho Sanchez collected a garbage goal 10 minutes into the second half for the Golden Falcons, who rose to 40-6-4 all-time against county opposition since 2006.

"We played Fike last night and we're not as fresh as we should have been," CBA assistant coach Byron Adkins said. "It took us a while to get going. They hold a good line, but unfortunately you can't hold the line forever. Once you give up a goal, if you have no attack, you are not going to win the game.

The Chargers (1-4-1 overall) stacked their defensive alignment and forced the Golden Falcons (3-1-0) to play three on six just outside the 18-yard box. Cory Carpenter and Jacob Parks constantly harassed Zacharzuk, who could find little passing room to Sanchez.

Keeper Patrick Hall saved two corner kicks within two minutes of each other, and Aycock's frustration continued to rise. A header off another corner kick sailed over the crossbar and the Golden Falcons began to experience that sense of deja vu they encountered one night earlier.

"I liked how the boys stepped up against a physical team," WCDS head coach Steve Ellis said. "We didn't back down and stayed discipline in the back. Cory practically shut Collin down the whole game and I was pleased with that."

Zacharzuk finally broke through just before halftime.

The returning starter ran onto a loose ball just outside the 18. Hall darted off his line and slid with hopes of either knocking the ball away or smothering it. Zacharzuk regained control of the ball and ripped a right-footed, goal-scoring shot into the net.

"It was kind of a lucky goal," Ellis said. "At halftime, nil-nil would have been a little better and maybe worried Aycock a little bit more."

WCDS almost tallied the equalizer one minute into the second half when Ramel Carpenter's right-footed shot rolled wide left of the back post. It was the last shot Aycock would allow on goal the remainder of the game.

Zacharzuk got loose inside the 6-yard box when the Chargers' defense stopped in its tracks. His shot deflected off of Hall's out-stretched gloves and Sanchez, who covered the back post, easily punched in the rebound for the two-goal lead. It was Sanchez's second goal of the season.

Aycock owned a 14-3 edge in shots and 10-3 advantage in corner kicks.