Game Summaries & Headlines.
Boys Varsity Soccer vs. Statesville Christian School
6.0 years ago @ 11:03PM
- Game Date
- Oct 11, 2017
- Score
- : 4
STATESVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: 2
KNIGHTS BEAT CONFERENCE RIVAL STATESVILLE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 4-2, NOW 15-0-1 Overall, 9-0 Southern Piedmont Athletic Association (SPAA)
STATESVILLE, NC- For the second time in six days Hickory Christian Academy defeated Statesville Christian Academy to win the SPAA conference championship outright. It was the third time in four years the Knights have achieved this distinction. Seniors Tommy McGrath and Dixon O'hair have been a part of three conference championships. Also seniors Eli Sigmon and Aiden Smith have two conference championships under their belts and senior Thomas McEwen one.
Fans would have to wait 30 minutes into the action before they would see the games first goal. Until that point defense had dominated the game on both sides but the Knights struck payday first as junior forward Gabe Walker received a beautiful cross, right to left, from 8th grader Braden Runyon for the games first goal. Just five minutes later at the 35 minute mark, Statesville scored on a laser guided corner kick that saw a Statesville player score on a header to the right corner of goal. Going into halftime the score was deadlocked at 1-1.
"I like what we are doing," coach Walker told the team at halftime. "We are winning the ball, distributing well and our energy is right where it needs to be. That is the best half of soccer we have played all season".
However, the Lions, just 7 minutes into the 2nd half had a flurry of opportunities right on goal. Three shots at point blank range went off crossbar, left post then right post. But the fourth attempt would prove to be the one as Statesville went up on the Knights 2-1. But the Lions received a dose of the Knights grit and mental toughness as junior Gabe Walker sent an on point assist over to senior forward Tommy McGrath at minute number 52 who did what he does best, put the ball in the back of the net to knot the score at 2-2. Keeping the pressure on Gabe Walker willed his way through the defense and pushed the ball into goal with seemingly every part of his body to give the Knights a 3-2 advantage. Then just 3 minutes later at the 60 minute mark McGrath would not be denied and gave up his body with a hard fall to the ground just as he finished placing the ball into the net for a 4-2 score. The next 20 minutes would see the ball back and forth but no real threats by either team. As the clock went to 0:00 the scoreboard read 4-2 Knights and the celebration of another SPAA conference championship began.
On a very hot day on the pitch, 88 degrees to be exact, the Knights had to have minutes from the bench and boy did they ever. Junior Aedan Arnot, Freshmen Wyatt King, Chase Collins and Garrisons Mullis provided quality minutes and received recognition from the coaches. Not much changed when they were in the game and this proved critical in the closing 20 minutes of the contest as the Knights were able to dig a little deeper and finished with great energy and enthusiasm. Junior right back Jack Zaliagiris played his best game of the season, battling and preventing the offense from making any real threat throughout the contest on the his side of the pitch.
With perhaps his most difficult decision this season of choosing a player to receive the Battle Ball, junior Gabe Walker was today's recipient. The Battle Ball is a HCA tradition awarded to the player with best effort, attitude and leadership. Walker was the throttle that ran the engine as he finished with two goals and one assist. He is leading the team in both scoring and assists for the season.
The knights five seniors will be honored at halftime of Thursdays regular season finale against University Christian. The game is slated for a 6:30 start on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University at Moretz Sports Complex.