By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Dominating possession in soccer is an important first step towards winning, but you still have to be successful in the attacking third of the field — and score goals. Watauga had the ball a majority of the time on May 1 at Jack Groce Stadium. It was Hibriten, however, who took advantage of fewer opportunities to win, 1-0, and remain in a tie for first place atop the Northwestern Conference.
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With the setback, Watauga drops out of what was a 3-way tie for top honors in the NWC standings with Hibriten and Alexander Central. In order to earn a playoff bid with a higher seeding, decisive wins against Freedom on May 5 and Freedom on May 7 are a must in closing out the regular season. Currently ranked No. 31 in the North Carolina 4A West with an 8-5-1 record, the Pioneers are likely on the proverbial “bubble” in making the playoffs, assuming it will be another 32-team bracket.
The visiting Panthers broke open the intense, defensive battle with just under 15 minutes to play, when sophomore forward Raegan Watts broke free down the left sideline and punched a well-place shot just past the outstretched arms of a diving Watauga goalkeeper, Rylee Mitchell.
Up to that point, both teams’ defensive units proved “stingy” as they turned away attack opportunities.
Watauga head coach Chris Tarnowski acknowledged the reality of high-level, high school soccer after the match.
“It was a tough game because our players really executed the game plan well and controlled possession for the majority of the game,” said Tarnowski. “We were able to move the ball well and the energy and effort were there, but that’s how these games sometimes go.
“As coaches, we’re really proud of the way our team played tonight and stuck together until the end. There’s a lot of parity in the conference this season, which makes for exciting games and bodes well for the sport across our part of the state,” he added. “So we’re going to take the last few games one at a time and see where that lands us for playoffs. We’re excited to compete against anyone, and as coaches we know that this group will always put in their best effort.”
The Pioneers will be home against Freedom on May 5, then will close the regular season on the road, at Ashe County on May 7.
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