C.B. Aycock defense lacks depth

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on October 31, 2013 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

SMITHFIELD -- Smithfield-Selma connected passes and created offensive scoring chances out of the flow of play.

Charles B. Aycock had its opportunities on set pieces.

But only the Spartans seemed to find the back of the net with any consistency Wednesday evening. The senior duo of Robin Barksdale and Joseph Williams combined for two goals and two assists in a 4-0 victory over the Golden Falcons in opening-round action of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A boys' soccer playoffs.

Fifth-seeded Smithfield-Selma (14-4-3 overall) won a postseason game for the first time since 2005 and entertains Southern Nash on Saturday.

"I thought our guys played with a lot of heart, lot of effort," CBA assistant coach Byron Adkins said.

An absentee from the 2012 postseason, the 28th-seeded Golden Falcons pressured the Spartans' goal during a 10-minute stretch midway through the first half. Two throw-ins and a corner kick led to shots inside the 6-yard box that freshman keeper Felipe Silva Carranza turned away.

Carranza logged four saves on nine Aycock shots.

"The keeper got a glove on them and we had a wide-open header at the back of the net, and we missed that," Adkins said. "We hit it right at him. It could have been a different game. They played well, they deserved to win.

"We just didn't play well enough."

SSS controlled the pace during the first 15 minutes and constantly worked the ball outside to stretch Aycock's defense. Golden Falcons goalie Alex Burke made three brilliant saves on point-blank shots, and a couple of other attempts by the Spartans sailed harmlessly over the goal.

Barksdale broke the scoreless tie with a penalty-kick conversion in the 18th minute. SSS protected its one-goal advantage the remainder of the half.

The Spartans continued to switch the field, which kept the Golden Falcons (8-9-1) in a chasing mode throughout the second half. Barksdale found an unmarked Williams, who connected on a wide-open, 30-yard shot that deflected off the left post and bounced into the net in the 47th minute.

"Our big thing is we're not very strong away from home and we struggle on these wide fields," Adkins said. "It's constant and something that we have to fix. They stretched us out. As you go away to other places, you see how technically or tactically we're not on par.

"The talent has to get better in Wayne County. That's a true statement all the way around."

Daniel Avila scored in the 75th minute off Williams' assist. Rodrigo Sanchez knocked in a PK two minutes after Avila's goal. The Spartans attempted 20 shots on goal.

Burke and Hampton Tilghman combined for eight saves between the pipes for the Golden Falcons, who suffered their fifth consecutive opening-round playoff defeat and sixth straight postseason game overall.

It was the final contest for CBA seniors Burke, Collin Grieve, Chris Smith, Forrest Honeycutt, Tim Naughton, Collin Zacharzuk, Addison Vail and Clay Brooks.