BOYS' SOCCER: Rosewood snaps 4-game skid

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on October 5, 2016 9:57 AM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

Drinking from water bottles and wiping sweat from their brows with their jerseys, Rosewood's soccer players gathered at halftime in the end zone near the football scoreboard.

Frustration shrouded their faces.

And head coach Eddie Maldonado never raised his voice.

Despite trailing 1-0 on a fluke goal, the former collegiate standout encouraged his team to increase its work rate, communicate in the midfield and continue to pressure the goal. Sooner or later fortune would fall in the Eagles' favor.

Maldonado was right -- twice.

Geo Abrill notched the equalizer in the 57th minute and punched in the game-deciding goal 13 minutes later as Rosewood handed Carolina 1-A Conference rival North Duplin a 2-1 loss on the Branch Pope Field pitch Monday evening.

"I told them at halftime that work rate is going to be the key," said Maldonado, who played at the University of Mount Olive.

"We've got to create our own chances, create our own luck and the only way you're going to do that is to keep working. We didn't start out real good in the second half, but we picked it up and starting getting into the flow (of the game)."

North Duplin goalie Felipe Prudencio logged a clean worksheet in the opening half. The junior stopped ground shots at the posts and turned away Rosewood with a couple of point-blank saves inside the 6-yard box.

The Eagles kept shooting.

And shooting.

Finally, senior Stalen Massengill dribbled past a defender into the 18-yard box and sent a cross toward Abrill. The sophomore ripped a right-footed laser toward the back post and Maldonado exhaled a huge sigh of relief.

Eagles 1, Rebels 1.

Plenty of time left on the clock.

"Honestly, it was a give-and-go deal that we've been practicing," Abrill said.

Energized by the goal and the Rebels' increased physical play, Rosewood (5-6-0 overall, 1-4-0 CC) controlled the pace of the game. The Eagles won second balls, stepped into open space to disrupt the Rebels' offense and kept Prudencio busy between the posts.

Abrill's second goal was a piece workmanship.

Freshman Logan Price knocked the ball away from a North Duplin defender and the ball bounced toward Abrill, who picked it up in stride and dribbled down the far sideline. Abrill carried the ball into the box, Prudencio hovered toward the near post and Abrill - as he did before - sent a perfect, low strike to the back post.

"Logan's awesome tackle, that was good work from him," Abrill said. "I just ran at it. I wanted to tease him (Prudencio) out, force him to go one way and then tap it in for the easy goal."

The Eagles snapped a four-game skid.

North Duplin (3-6-1, 2-4) grabbed a 1-0 lead midway through the opening half.

Rosewood keeper Tucker Chapin (four saves) and back row defender Keegan Burnette each called for a loose ball that rolled just in front of the goal. Neither picked it up and Dario Castenada knocked it in for his 20th goal of the season.

"We just put it on a platter for them," Maldonado said. "He's not going to get an easier one than that all year."

Castenada, however, missed fellow striker Juan Garcia, who pulled his hamstring against Lakewood. ND coach James Foster moved Wilber Velasquez, the team's second-leading scorer into Garcia's spot, which weakened the Rebels' attack up top.