BOYS' SOCCER: Golden Falcons earn road shutout

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on October 26, 2016 9:57 AM

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DUDLEY -- Turnabout is fair play.

The Southern Wayne varsity soccer team, known county-wide for its physical style of play, saw the trademark used against them Tuesday evening, falling to Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference and county rival Charles B. Aycock, 1-0, in frigid conditions at the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex.

From the opening whistle, both teams waded through attacks that formed and dissolved in errant passing, fouls and over pursuit. What often started along the touchline was forced elsewhere, usually ending in a collision of blue and white jerseys.

As both teams struggled to impose their identity, midfield resembled a siege.

"Southern Wayne has speed up top," said CBA head coach Cory Worrell. "And they pressure the defense. We knew it would be physical... a dog fight."

Indeed it was.

In the 36th minute, Aycock's Coe Jordan sailed a free kick into the goal box, but it was quickly discombobulated by a caucus of dense traffic.

Roughly two minutes later, Southern pieced together its best offensive formation of the half, only to see Alex Roblero's left-footer collected by Aycock glovesman Skyler Landers.

At half, the affair was knotted at zero.

Cue Aycock's Zach Zacharzuk.

Following a foul in the 55th minute, CBA's Jordan again lofted a free kick from the left wing that was played twice in the air by the Falcons -- initially by Nick Meza, and lastly by Zacharzuk, whose piercing header zoomed by SW keeper Michael Ponce for a 1-0 Aycock advantage.

A swarming powder blue defense managed the proceedings from that point, again led by Zacharzuk, stifling a Southern Wayne outfit that appeared physically taxed from Monday's league clash with county rival Eastern Wayne.

As the clock waned, the hosts managed a last-gasp effort, but watched the formation disappear in the 74th minute when a yellow card was issued to SW's Shyquell Kornegay.

"The second half, we lost midfield," said Southern Wayne head coach Mario Aguilar. "But we still played pretty well."

The rough-and-tumble affair, Aycock's seventh league win of the season, assured the Falcons of a 3-A conference title ahead of its match tonight at Eastern Wayne -- the program's sixth game in the last nine days.

Fatigue? Hardly.

"It's a great win," Worrell said with a smile. "But all credit to Southern Wayne... we weren't relaxed on this one."

The triumph moved CBA to 10-7 overall this season, and 7-3 in ECC play. Southern Wayne, which plays host to New Bern next Monday, fell to 4-8-4 overall and 2-6-2 in league contests.