CHARGER CUP: Wayne Country Day defeats Neuse Christian

By Aviel Smolka
Published in Sports on August 10, 2018 5:51 AM

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By AVIEL SMOLKA

asmolka@newsargus.com

Soccer season has officially started.

Wayne Country Day, opening its 2018-2019 boys' soccer schedule and its first season as 2-A team, claimed a 5-0 win against Neuse Christian Academy on Thursday afternoon.

From whistle to whistle, the Chargers dominated the first-round Charger Cup match.

The Chargers (1-0-0 overall) had to shake off their first-game jitters, but they scored quickly and often controlled the entire game with an overbearing, sharp effort.

Neuse Christian wanting to use its size to control the pace of the game, but watched the strategy fall apart.

"I thought we were excellent today," Chargers head coach Steve Ellis said. "After we scored the first goal we just dominated the whole time."

Passing lanes were wide open all game for the Chargers.

Balls played on the boundaries were won primarily by the home reds. The Charger duo of DJ Drew and David Gurley frustrated Neuse Christian with their speed and physicality.

The Chargers scored their first goal in the 10th minute.

Nehemiya Shaw broke away down the sideline and crossed the ball into the box where Gurley punched the ball into the net giving the Chargers a quick 1-0 lead.

In the 26th minute, the Chargers scored their second goal on a corner kick.

Right before halftime, WCDS struck two more times. In the 36th Drew hit an amazing 40-yard free kick that sailed over the Lions' goalie's head.

"When he [Drew] struck it I actually said to bench that's going in," Ellis said. "The way that went in took the wind out of their sails."

Then in the 43rd, Drew ripped straight through the middle of the Lions' defense to score his second goal.

WCDS led 4-0 at halftime.

"Man, for man I thought we had the better team today," Ellis said. "They [Neuse Christian] couldn't do anything and were restricted to 30-yard shots."

The Chargers scored their fifth and final goal in the 76th. Gurley ran the down the far-left side of the field and passed the ball to Caleb Brewer, who smacked the ball into the net.

The hosts won their opening game of the Charger Cup for the first time in the tournament's short history.

Neuse Christian simply could not convert legitimate scoring opportunities into goals.

"Overall it was a really good performance," Ellis said.

Neuse Chrisitan meets Rocky Mount Academy at 3:30 p.m. today. WCDS faces Ridgecroft at 5:30 p.m.