Gators strike twice within first 16 minutes against Lakewood

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 4, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Satisfied.

But not 100 percent yet.

Carlos Ramirez and Otto Binar each provided one goal and one assist, and Spring Creek launched its Carolina 1-A Conference season with a 4-1 conquest of Lakewood on Wednesday afternoon.

"Good control in the first half, I thought we let up too much in the second half," SC head coach Linda Salter said. "They controlled a lot of play, maybe at the 25- to 35-minute mark. We can't let that happen. It's going to get tougher from here on out.

"We have to make sure that we stay 110 percent all the way through the game."

The Gators' quartet of Otto Binar, Gio Avali, Juan Vega and Carlos Ramirez -- who have combined for 12 goals this season -- proved worrisome all afternoon. They spearheaded an attack that feasted on first touches, crisp passes and creative play inside the 18-yard box.

Spring Creek (4-2-0 overall) misfired on three shot attempts during the early stages of the opening half, but finally connected in the 14th. Binar received a ball through the middle, pushed it toward the sidelines and beat his defender off of the dribble into the 18-yard box.

Binar zipped a pass to Avila, who easily tucked away his fifth goal of the season.

Two minutes later, another loose ball led to the Gators' second goal. Byron Lopez Cabrera drew a hard foul on the play inside the box and Binar converted the penalty kick to make it 2-0 just 16 minutes in.

"I'm not taking anything away from Spring Creek because they're a heckuva ballclub," said Lakewood head coach Jay Faircloth, who had to make lineup adjustments before the game due to players experiencing fatigue from Tuesday's cross country conference meet.

"Their four goals were off of mistakes. We didn't mark up on two corners. They got a PK, which is a stupid decision on our part and we had a defensive meltdown where they got one goal."

The Gators (4-2-0 overall) extended their lead to 3-0 just before halftime. Ramirez crossed a ball into the box and Gustavo Avalos finished with a one-touch strike that bounced past Lakewood keeper Pate Holland.

SC capped its scoring in the 49th when Ramirez, unmarked at the back post, headed in a corner kick from Vega into the net. It was Ramirez's second goal of the season and Vega's team-leading fourth assist.

Holland logged a clean sheet between the pipes during the final 30-plus minutes and finished with a season-high 17 saves.

"When you get that goalie moving side to side with the ball on the outside, then crossing it back to the middle, he's not going to get to everything and we proved that tonight," said Salter, whose team owned decisive edges in shots (30-8) and corner kicks (9-0).

Lakewood avoided the shutout on Jonathan Gonzalez's unassisted goal in the 56th minute. SC keeper Ulises Vega recorded five saves.