SOCCER: Fike displays tactical strategy against Eastern Wayne

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 7, 2016 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Scott Summers easily identified Fike's strategy Tuesday evening.

Use the width of the field to stretch the defense.

Work the ball through the midfield.

Take advantage of the open space.

Yep, welcome to Soccer 101.

"This is the first team that we played that they had it all," said Summers after Eastern Wayne fell 4-1 to the Golden Demons. "They knocked the ball around. I told the boys this is where we want to be ... passing the ball, being patient, moving it around, making the (other) team chase.

"I said 'you want to know why you guys are so tired right now?' It's because they're letting the ball do the work."

Fike's work rate was evident throughout the 80-minute affair. The Golden Demons constantly won the second ball and efficiently utilized their midfield in an energetic fashion that kept the Warriors (3-2-1 overall) on their heels.

A give-and-go off a set piece just missed finding the mark.

Myles Cyrus' header off a corner kick almost slipped underneath the crossbar.

The scoreless tie finally disappeared in the 21st minute.

Freshman Kevin Mendoza attempted a shot in transition that clanged off the right post and sailed to the back post. Senior Eduardo Cortez, unmarked by the Warriors, headed the ball into the net.

"I thought we did a good job of pressing forward," third-year Fike head coach Chris Mizelle said. "Usually with the personnel we have, we're fairly conservative and we tried to open up the gates a little bit tonight more than we have the last couple of weeks.

"It worked out well."

Fike (4-3-0) all but decided the outcome barely 10 minutes into the second half.

Kevin Mendoza scored 75 seconds after halftime on a right-footed laser that curled inside the near post and EW keeper Daniel Stevens. Senior Jordy Rodriguez punched in two goals within 2 ? minutes of each other to make it 4-0.

Mendoza assisted on Rodriguez's first goal.

"The energy level coming out in the second half was much, much better," Mizelle said. "We reaped the rewards of that pretty early on, creating more chances on goal instead of directing our guys away from goal ... serving in, finding balls within the 18 and putting them on frame."

The Golden Demons' ability to control the tempo disrupted the Warriors' flow offensively. It also exposed a key absence for EW. Senior Christian Anderson, the team's leading scorer with 23 points (nine goals, five assists), missed the match with an ankle injury.

Rather than cause any further damage, Summers said Anderson will sit out the next two games - today against county rival Spring Creek and Thursday against Triton. Both games are at home.

The Warriors recorded just seven shots on goal for the game. Terrell Lance avoided the shutout with his first-ever varsity goal in the 65th minute off Michael Guthrie's assist. Seconds earlier, Fike backup keeper Nick Kilpatrick made a diving glove save on an EW shot attempt.