KNIGHTS TAKE OUT NUMBER ONE SEED WESTCHESTER COUNTRY DAY, ADVANCE TO 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

HIGH POINT, NC - October 22^nd, 2019 – When the Knights players entered the soccer stadium on Tuesday, their biggest concern wasn’t their opponent or the hostile fans, it was the conditions of the playing surface resulting from heavy rains leading up to the 6:00 start.

The Knights and Wildcats, two teams that met in last year’s round of eight, a game in which Westchester won 4-2, slogged it out in the mud for the first 40 minutes of the contest. The Knights struck first as junior Chase Collins provided an assist for junior Garrison Mullis in minute number four. At minute twenty-seven the Wildcats scored their first and only goal of the night. As both teams adjusted to the difficult field conditions, the first half ended in a 1-1 tie.

Sophomore Braden Runyon gave the Knights a 2-1 advantage at minute 51. Junior Dylan Morrison pushed the ball up the right side, executed a beautiful right to left cross. Runyon, who was all alone on the far post, finished the deal as he headed the ball into goal.

Just one minute later, junior Braden Whitford gave the Knights a 3-1 cushion as Mullis was able to find him to be credited with the assist. Then sophomore Stephen Frye scored on an assist from Dylan Morrison, his second assist of the game, at minute 61. With just under 2 minutes remaining in the contest, Mullis was fouled inside the box and junior Ben Vazquez was called upon to take the PK. Vazquez, the coach’s son, nailed the upper left corner for a 5-1 Knight’s advantage. The Knights would hold off the Wildcats and the game would end, 5-1, sending the Knights into Saturdays State Championship game.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

On this night, the entire Knights squad was the recipient of the HCA Battle Ball, an HCA tradition after each game awarded to the player with the best effort, attitude, performance and all-around impact on the outcome of the contest. The Knights played their best game to date and look to duplicate their efforts this Saturday.

The Knights travel back to the Westchester campus in High Point on
Saturday October 26^th to take on the #2 seed Gaston Day for the state championship. The game is slated to start at 4:00.