PREP BOYS' SOCCER: Aycock opens league play, falls to New Bern

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 5, 2018 5:51 AM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- A good thing.

A bad thing.

Cory Worrell wasn't exactly sure how to describe it.

The Charles B. Aycock head soccer coach watched the Golden Falcons pull to within a single goal on two occasions against New Bern, but couldn't close the gap in a 4-2 loss on a brutally humid, hot Tuesday evening.

"The boys fought," Worrell said of the Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference affair contested on the Hardy Talton Stadium pitch.

"If you come away with the 'W,' that's good. If you don't, it is what it is."

That may be the best summation.

Well rested from a seven-day break and holiday weekend, Aycock started sluggish. The Golden Falcons played at a disjointed pace and undoubtedly missed injured starters Zack Naughton (groin), David McIver (torn meniscus) and John McIver.

New Bern smartly applied pressure immediately after the opening kickoff.

CBA keeper Skyler Landers, who entered the game with a 0.56 goals-against-average, corralled a loose ball inside the 6-yard box less than 60 seconds after the whistle.

The Bears didn't stop with the pressure.

They displayed a better work rate, got first touches on numerous balls and efficiently used the width of the field to stretch the Golden Falcons' defense.

The scoreless draw ended in the fifth minute.

Senior forward Frank Fortescue benefited from a wobbly defensive clear by Landers. Fortescue flicked the ball to sophomore forward Brayden West, who easily tucked the ball away into an empty net.

Landers argued for a handball on the play to no avail.

"That close, it's a 50-50 call right there," Worrell said. "The boys have to keep playing all 80 minutes."

New Bern continued to disrupt Aycock's passing and build a counter attack on goal.

In the 21st minute, senior midfielder Mazen Algaradi played the ball forward to senior Charles Bernthal. Landers made a diving glove save on Bernthal's laser shot to the near post, but the deflected ball landed at the boot of West, who connected on his second goal of the night.

The Golden Falcons closed to within 2-1 in the 33rd minute.

Christian Sexton scored out of the flow of play on an assist from Josh Naughton. It was Sexton's fourth goal of the season and Naughton's first assist.

Three minutes later, the Bears answered on Fortescue's ball that rolled past a diving Landers and into the lower left corner of the goal.

"All credit to New Bern," Worrell said. "[They] came in here, got some lucky chances put the ball away in the back of the net."

Aycock pulled to within 3-2 in the 42nd minute when Dillon Borel scored off an assist from Sexton.

The next 20 minutes mirrored the opening half.

New Bern (4-1-0, 1-0-0 ECC 3-A/4-A) intercepted passes, pushed the ball forward and took shots that led to corner kicks. The set pieces appeared ineffective until the 64th minute.

Senior defender Lah Ku Htoo lofted a ball into the penalty area and senior midfielder Jonathan Ross got his noggin on it. The header slippedinto the net between Landers and the near post.

Bears 4, CBA 2.

"We do have some height back there," said Worrell, whose Golden Falcons (5-2-2, 0-1-0) visit J.H. Rose on Thursday.

"That was not a good thing to see, especially being down one with 16 minutes to go. It drains you from there."