SOCCER: Gators turn back Eagles

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on October 20, 2016 10:00 AM

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Work rate equals opportunity.

Such was the case Wednesday evening for Spring Creek, which utilized that maxim to defeat Carolina 1-A boys' soccer foe Rosewood, 5-4, at Branch Pope Field.

From the outset, the action was pulse pounding.

Courtesy of Gustavo Avalos, the Gators struck in the opening minute. Following a penalty near the box, the all-everything sophomore collected himself and rifled a free kick past the gloves of an outstretched Tucker Chapin.

His blast was followed roughly 90 seconds later by Joshua Beckerman, who deposited a deft Avalos assist in the corner net for a 2-nil Gator advantage.

At that point, Rosewood head coach Eddie Maldonado had seen enough. With zero hesitation, he subbed for every Eagle on the pitch.

"None of y'all are working hard," the coach barked to his starters. "That's why you're over here on the bench."

"Do. You. Understand?"

Indeed they did.

Following another goal by Beckerman in the 31st minute, the Eagles formed an attack and got on the board via the right foot of Skyler Price, who turned a Stalen Massengill assist into a much-needed shot of life for the purple-and-gold.

At half, Spring Creek led 3-1.

Matters turned early in the second period, as Massengill cleared a sea of traffic in front of goal with a nifty play past Spring Creek keeper Kevin Ulloa, cutting the Gator advantage to just a single goal.

Sophomore Geovanni Abrill then squared matters in the 49th minute, collecting a touch from Daniel Aburto and one-timing a dart past Ulloa.

In a blink, the affair was tied.

"We played great the first 30 minutes," Gator head coach Mario Aguilar said. "But our mentality... just slowed down."

From there, a wide-open stalemate developed, lasting until Hugo Zavala-Gil slipped a deft whisper by the gloves of Chapin in the 72nd minute.

Beckerman found the net again moments later, this time on a pure-bent frozen rope, giving him a hat trick (three goals) on the evening and the goal that should have iced matters for Spring Creek.

Only, it didn't.

Following a takedown in the box, Aburto closed the Gators' gap to one with a penalty kick in the 77th minute. Massengill then had an opportunity to tie the match on a long run in the 79th, but saw his shot sail wide -- by mere inches -- of the right post.

Final. Spring Creek 5, Rosewood 4.

For both teams, the match represented a return to play after the devastating affects of Hurricane Matthew, most of which remain evident throughout the whole of Wayne County.

And Aguilar knows there is much work to be done in his club's search for a new normal.

"We will start over," Aguilar noted. "We'll work on finishing. Putting the ball in the net... the next few days will be hard."

The victory moved Spring Creek to 12-2-1 on the season, and 7-2 in league play. Rosewood now stands 6-8-0 overall and 2-6 in Carolina 1-A matters.