Topsail turns back Southern Wayne in 3A soccer playoffs
By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 30, 2014 1:48 PM
rcoggins@newsargus.com
HAMPSTEAD -- Southern Wayne's confidence brewed after Juan Trejo connected on the go-ahead goal 10 minutes into the second half Wednesday evening.
But senior-led Topsail turned up the pressure.
The Pirates regained control of the match, distributed the ball through the midfield and stretched the Saints' defense. The simple, but effective strategy led to a pair of goals within a 12-minute stretch.
"We thought we had it in the bag," Southern Wayne's Billy Gonzales said. "We kind of stayed back playing defense and when that happens, they're all on our side (with pressure). There was nothing we can do.
"They're going to have opportunities and one is going to go in."
Bladen Porter served a ball into the box and Derek Bryant punched in the game-winning goal which capped the Pirates' come-from-behind, 3-2 victory in the opening round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A boys' soccer playoffs.
Topsail (8-10-1 overall) entertains Cardinal Gibbons on Saturday.
The 25th-seeded Saints (10-9-2) matched the Pirates' physical play throughout the 80-minute affair. But Topsail managed to get the first touch -- either a cleat or head -- on numerous balls and consistently built attacks on goal with crisp passing.
Josh Madole's ball through the midfield found Sam Bell's feet outside the left side of the box. Bell dribbled around his lone defender and fired a goal-scoring strike toward the back post.
While the goal settled down the eighth-seeded Pirates, it charged up the Saints. Seven minutes later, midfielder Mauricio Velasquez gained possession outside the 18 and passed off to Gonzales, who worked the ball toward the right sideline.
Gonzales managed to turn toward the net against Kellon Copley and rip a game-tying goal that landed in the lower 90 at the back post. It was Gonzales' first goal of the year.
"Not much you can say about it," Gonzales said.
The teams played on an even keel the remainder of the opening half and during the early stages of the second half.
Trejo's goal, which started with a corner kick, came off an assist from Axel Ruiz to put Southern Wayne up 2-1.
"The second goal, we've practiced the last two weeks," SW head coach Mario Aguilar said. "Axel, on the corner kick, I told him to play low and he did it. The ball go in. That's tactical."
The Pirates, who improved to 6-1-0 in games decided two goals or less this season, turned up the physical play and intensity. Levi Akerley notched the game-tying goal in the 55th minute.
Southern Wayne had two chances to retake the lead. Obens Tilus' free kick from 30 yards out curled toward the back post and Topsail keeper Tyler Davis got a glove on it. The Saints followed with a corner kick and came up empty.
"The chances had, they were good opportunities," Gonzales said.
Topsail controlled possession the final 10-plus minutes and kept Southern Wayne on its heels. The Pirates switched fields on occasion and Bryant eventually got loose for the game-winning goal.
"We played really, really well compared to the past three weeks," said Aguilar, whose team generated 12 shots on goal and got a combined four saves from starting keeper Adan Reyes and backup Trejo.
"But when we started losing possession, they started to score. When we lose possession, we lost mentally. But 3-2 compared to a team like this, that's not bad at all."