The sky’s the limit for Catawba Ridge boys’ soccer in 5A, according to head coach Phillip McCarter.
After winning the last four Region 3 titles in 4A, the Copperheads are looking to make a similar impact in the highest classification in the state. McCarter’s team took one step further toward that goal, grinding out a well-fought 2-1 win Friday night against Chapin High School.
Despite being one of the smaller schools in Class 5A, McCarter says Catawba Ridge has a “chip on its shoulder” to compete with its new opponents.
He says his team, now 3-2 on the season, fought hard against Brookland-Cayce, Wade Hampton, and Ashley Ridge in the sixth annual Milltown High School Invitational Soccer Tournament, which was held last month.
“We’ve been very competitive in all the games we’ve played so far,” McCarter said. “It’s going to be fun.”
Seniors Justus Abramo opened the scoring in the third minute with a tap-in at the back post and Joshua Zawlocki doubled the lead early in the second half with a header.
Jalen Tucker’s long-range shot halved the deficit for the visiting Eagles, but the Copperheads managed to close out the final 25 minutes.
“Tactically, we knew what they were doing in the first half, and we weren’t exploiting their 4-4-2 diamond,” McCarter said. “So, we started working the switch to make their diamond get flattened out, so we could play back through the middle. I thought we were way more effective in the second half with that.”
There are eight seniors in the starting lineup for the Copperheads, including key midfield stalwarts like Jeremy White. Jermaine Smith, and Camden Gifford, while strikers Zawlocki and Abramo lead the attack. Senior goalkeeper Liam Prendergast starts in the net for his second year.
The Copperheads lost four seniors to graduation from last season, including starters like playmaker Angelo D’Errico and defender Stewart Sandvoss. Catawba Ridge fell to Wade Hampton 4-3 in the state quarterfinals last year.
“When you look at the better high school teams, they’re normally the ones that are senior-heavy,” McCarter said. “They’ve got a lot of synergy and chemistry from players who play with each other and they’ve been through our system. You want them to make the sum greater than the parts.”
The Copperheads quickly pressed their visitors and found paydirt on their opening corner in the third minute. Abramo enjoyed a simple tap-in at the back post after two other Catawba Ridge attackers took swings at the cross. The ball landed sweetly for Abramo, who couldn’t miss from six yards out.
Smith was tripped on the edge of the penalty box in the 10th minute, but teammate Jeremy White’s solo effort from 18-yards out couldn’t beat Chapin’s junior goalkeeper Cooper Hughes.
Midfielder Nickolai Sogaard created Chapin’s most clear-cut chance of the night, but his header wasn’t enough to beat Prendergast from the penalty spot.
Chapin picked up the tempo soon after the halftime break. Senior defender Grayson Zamiello nearly equalized for the Eagles in the 44th minute, but couldn’t control his right-footed effort from 10-yards out from a corner.
Catawba Ridge doubled its lead 10 minutes later. Smith lofted a high cross into the Chapin penalty box, leading Zawlocki to connect on a looping header that beat Hughes at his back post.
The Eagles kept up their momentum in search of a goal. Tucker sent in a dangerous low cross, which Prendergast used his leg to deflect before his defenders ushered the ball out of harm. Tucker halved the lead in the 61st minute. He deftly settled a long ball from the midfield, shrugged off a Catawba Ridge defender, and fired a hard, left-footed shot past Prendergast to make it 2-1 with 19 minutes left to play.
Catawba Ridge begins its Region 3-5A schedule Tuesday night on the road against crosstown rival Fort Mill.
March 7 Roundup
The Nation Ford boys’ lacrosse team won 15-4 over South Meck to improve to 4-1 on the season.
The Nation Ford girls’ lacrosse team dropped a 13-9 match to Ballentyne Ridge falling to 0-3 on the season.
The Nation Ford boys’ soccer team fell 1-0 to Myrtle Beach after losing in penalty kicks 5-4. They are now 7-2 overall on the season.
The Nation Ford girls’ soccer team beat Myrtle Beach 3-0 to improve to 4-2-1 overall on the season.
