Avila, Binar each post hat trick in Gators' lopsided win

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on October 17, 2014 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- As Spring Creek's Gio Avila volleyed the cross into the back of net for his third goal of the game, Hobbton's team was trying to figure out what was happening.

Meanwhile, Avila was midway through his celebration as he ripped off his jersey and ran down the field celebrating his first career hat trick -- on his senior night, no less.

Spring Creek coach Linda Salter benched Avila.

But it was worth it.

Avila and senior forward Otto Binar each registered hat tricks as the Gators throttled Hobbton 7-0 on Thursday evening. Spring Creek's victory sets up a meeting with James Kenan on Monday to determine the Carolina 1-A Conference regular-season champion.

"If we keep playing like this James Kenan isn't going to know what hit them, just like (Hobbton) is still trying to figure out what hit them," Salter told her team after the game.

Hobbton won the previous meeting, 2-1.

When the teams met again, Spring Creek's new formation left the Wildcats' back four defenders as disheveled as a college freshman's dorm room during exam week. Only Professor Salter threw a curveball on the test.

Hobbton had prepared for Avila to be playing center back -- where he had been playing while Marcos Castaneda was injured. But Castaneda recently returned to the lineup and allowed Avila to push forward with Binar. Also, Hobbton's field is much smaller than most, and Spring Creek was able to use its speed up top on the larger field.

"We knew it would be a different story because most of our guys are faster and we can exploit the speed that we have," Binar said. "We were able to get it down the sideline and run on to it a lot easier."

Avila added three assists to his total, and Binar had one assist. Binar also created the goal that resulted in Avila completing his hat trick by dribbling around four defenders and setting up the cross, though he didn't get credit for the assist.

Carlos Ramirez punched in the seventh goal after he finished his own rebound on a penalty kick. Noeh Avila and Hugo Zavala Gil each had an assist.

Led by Castaneda, the Gators' defense was up to any task Hobbton threw at them. Spring Creek had scored four goals by the time Hobbton even attempted a shot, and the visitors didn't get a shot on frame until the last 10 minutes of the first half.

"It's really good to have (Marcos) back because he's one of our key players and people listen to him because he's a captain, too," Avila said. "The defense did played really well tonight with him back there."

As the game wore on, the Wildcats started playing much more physical -- bordering on dangerous -- as they challenged Gators midfielders with aggressive slide tackles. Spring Creek's Alonso Pineda took a slide tackle to his ankle and came off the field for close to 15 minutes. But the Gators weren't deterred by the change in play.

"Coach told us to make sure they don't get in our head and to keep doing our thing and that's what we did," Binar said. "You can't be scared and you can't play their game."