By David Rogers. TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. — Falling behind to Alexander Central by halftime was not what Watauga men’s soccer planned but behind senior forward Curtis Sevensky’s second half “hat trick” and re-energized play all around, the Pioneers rallied for a thrilling, 5-3 win over the host Cougars.
BONUS PHOTOS at bottom of article (click any image for slide show mode)
The key Northwestern Conference 4A match started out on a positive note for the Pioneers. Some five minutes in, a rare penalty against the ACHS goalkeeper for fielding a ball with his hands that had been passed back to him with a teammate’s feet resulted in a direct kick from inside the penalty box. The Cougars assembled a massive wall in front of the goalkeeper with just about every available player, but somehow the Pioneers’ Ben Myers drilled the free kick along the ground, through the left side of the wall and past the goalkeeper, giving the Boone team a 1-0 lead.
Although the well-skilled Pioneers controlled possession for most of the first half, the Cougars took advantage of their opportunities, manufacturing two goals before intermission as the Watauga defense broke down.
The Pioneers’ head coach Josh Honeycutt told his players at halftime they weren’t playing badly, but they were allowing Alexander Central’s players to out-work them.
Honeycutt to Sevensky sequence
That, and the fact Watauga’s high level of fitness gives them an edge as an opposing team begins to tire, was just what the Pioneers needed. At first, the second half comeback was troublesome as the Pioneers lapsed back into a style of play not generally favored by Honeycutt, with long passes downfield and keeping the ball airborne for long stretches. Worse still, they weren’t getting the desired results, turned away by the Cougar defenders.
A crossing pass from the right side by Quincy Honeycutt that was headed sharply into goal by Sevensky changed all that, knotting the score at 2-2 and sending an emotional Sevensky racing with teammates to the sidelines screaming with supporters in the grandstands.
Just a couple of minutes later, Sevensky repeated his sideline celebration after punching home yet another goal to put his Pioneers in front, 3-2.
The Pioneer senior collected still another goal in the second half to complete his “hat trick,” but it was a well-placed rocket off Lucas Hamilton’s foot from 30 yards out that surprised everyone, including the Cougar goalkeeper who had been drawn out and left grasping the air futilely as Hamilton’s shot arched over the keeper’s head and ducked under the crossbar. It was one of those “icing on the cake” moments for the Pioneers.
In the waning minutes, Watauga allowed one more Alexander Central goal to tighten the deficit to 5-3, but it was too little, too late for the home side.
“Down 2-1 (at halftime), we knew we had to flip a switch and come to play the game we normally play,” said Sevensky after the game. “In the first half, we weren’t connecting very well and credit to Alexander Central, they were playing with a lot of energy. We had to match that.”
Coach Honeycutt broke it down, similarly.
“I felt our game plan and execution was ‘OK’ in the first half. I told the guys at halftime that it wasn’t because they were playing badly. We just weren’t playing with the same heart and passion that we usually have. The intensity and the work rate… we were being out-worked,” Honeycutt said. “So I challenged them at halftime to outwork their opponents in the second half. To put that to the test and see what happens. Well, obviously, a 5-3 result is what happens when you outwork your opponent.”
Honeycutt had special praise for his front line.
“Curtis (Sevensky) had a great game. He worked super hard the whole time. Quincy (Honeycutt) and Evan (Mawhinney) came in and gave us great minutes on the outside. And, of course, Ben (Myers) and Alex (Aguilar) started on the outside and we just pounded them with our speed. Thomas (Moss) and David (Ganley) in the midfield were terrific and Ganley was a lockdown defender. It was a great team effort, for sure, to come back and get those results in the second half.”
With the loss, Alexander Central falls to 11-6 overall, 4-3 in Northwestern Conference play. Watauga improves to 14-3-2 overall, and remains undefeated in NWC play (6-0). The Cougars get another chance at the Pioneers on Wednesday, Oct. 30, when they face Watauga in Jack Groce Stadium, slated for a 6 p.m. kickoff. The Pioneers host Ashe County on Thursday, Oct. 31, then have a home and away series with South Caldwell next week to finish off regular season play.
BONUS PHOTOS
