Chargers benefit from set pieces against Patriots

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on October 8, 2014 1:49 PM

• Print
• Email

rcoggins@newsargus.com

One set piece worked.

Then another.

And another.

Finally, a team troubled by individual play during the past two weeks, rediscovered its unity during a 4-0 triumph over Coastal Plains Independent 1-A/2-A Conference foe Freedom Christian Academy on Tuesday afternoon.

Jacob Magera notched two goals, while Noah Adkins and Charlie Roethling provided one goal apiece in the Chargers' seventh shutout win of the season.

"It was nice to see them actually run the stuff that we had been practicing instead of just doing their own thing," WCDS head coach Steve Ellis said. "It paid off in the game today. It was real pleasing (to see) for once."

Unlike the previous meeting, Wayne Country Day matched the Patriots' physicality and controlled the tempo. FCA (9-7-2 overall, 1-4 CPIC) stayed in chasing mode for a majority of the match and pushed forward toward the goal on rare occasions.

The Chargers held their guests to three shots on frame, including two by junior striker Mike Melvin in the 28th and 29th minutes. WCDS keeper Patrick Hall got a fingertip on Melvin's second shot that rolled just wide of the post.

Wayne Country Day (12-4-1, 4-1-0) threatened two minutes later on a scrum inside Freedom's 18-yard box. Tony Townsend got a toe on the ball, but Patriots keeper John Jones (nine saves) stopped it just before it crossed the goal line.

Ellis' team remained relentless.

Freshman John Thompson gathered a loose ball just outside the 18 and drew a hard foul. The Chargers set up for the free kick and Adkins fired a rocket between Jones and the near post for the 1-0 advantage 34-plus minutes into the opening half.

It was Adkins' 11th goal of the season.

"It really gets the weight off of our shoulders knowing that we've got a goal and work off of that," Magera said. "It boosted the energy 100 percent and we came out fine in the second half."

WCDS strung passes together and created more than 20 shots on goal.

But it was the set pieces that worked.

Magera converted a corner kick from Matt Kierski in the 68th minute. Seven minutes later, he headed in a free kick from Roethling. Roethling capped the scoring on Adkins' corner kick in the final two minutes of action.

Magera boosted his season goal total eight.

"The coaches tried to calm me down a little, told me to get over the ball," said Magera, who had three first-half shots sail high over the crossbar.

"It paid. I did have one decent kick and the goalie made a good save."

The Chargers return home Thursday to face long-time CPIC nemesis Greenfield. A victory gives WCDS a share of its second straight conference championship.