By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Controlling possession in the attacking half of the field for an estimated 80 percent of a soccer match is a good start. You also have to score goals.
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On Oct. 31, Watauga did one and not the other in the first half against Ashe County. In the second half, the Pioneers were able to do both en route to a 3-1 Northwestern Conference win.
The victory elevated the Pioneers’ overall record to 16-3-2 and guaranteed its place as the conference champion. With two more league matches remaining, Watauga is now 8-0 in the Northwestern Conference. Only South Caldwell on Monday and Tuesday next week stand between the Pioneers and an unblemished 2024 conference record.
While Watauga was controlling possession in the first half of Thursday’s game against the visiting Huskies, Ashe County took advantage of its rare opportunities by scoring a goal midway through the opening period. On a counterattack by Ashe County and breakaway in transition, a Watauga defender made the initial tackle but the ball bounced outside and other Husky player was able to push the ball past Watauga goalkeeper Jude Jackson.
On the night, Watauga’s brilliant defensive effort limited the Huskies to just four shots on goal, with Jackson credited with three saves. On the other end of the field, the Pioneers crafted 11 shots on goal, three of which made it through.
The other thing the Huskies did was play strong defense by “packing the box” — bringing just about the whole team into the Pioneers’ attacking third of the field, satisfied with relatively few counterattacking opportunities.
“We were moving the ball pretty well tonight,” said Watauga head coach Josh Honeycutt after the game. “Our short, possession type passes up and down and around the field were working. You have to credit Ashe County for their defensive game plan, at least in the first half. By packing the box, they made it very difficult for us to score. We finally broke through in the second half.”
Ben Myers Go-Ahead Goal Sequence
A game of inches
For the tying goal early in the second half, Gavin Lapinski was credited with a hard shot that was actually caught by the Ashe County goalkeeper — but the ball’s momentum carried him across the front line of the net. Initially ruled a save by the referee, after a protest by Watauga he conferred with the near side linesman who confirmed that the goalkeeper had broken the plane of the goal face, stepping across and slightly into the goal space.
A few minutes later, Ben Myers found himself alone with the ball approximately 13 yards out and between the hash marks (for football), with the goalkeeper coming out. Myers punched the ball along the ground between a closing defender and the goalkeeper’s left side — and it rolled briskly into the net for Watauga’s go-ahead score.
Later in the half, Watauga’s short passing game worked to perfection in getting the ball up field. The Pioneer midfielders worked the ball across to an open Quincy Honeycutt on the right wing, approximately 20 yards from the goal. The sophomore’s shot at goal arched over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net for the final score.
“Us having possession didn’t seem to matter to them,” the Watauga head coach said later. “Their aim was to prevent us from scoring. It worked early. It makes it difficult to work the ball around the way we like to (in the attacking third). When there are so many bodies in the box… credit to them and their defense. They made it hard on us.”
Next Up
In a finish to Northwestern Conference play, Watauga has a condensed schedule next week, with two more games against 4A rival South Caldwell. Monday, Nov. 4, will find the Spartans in Boone, challenging the Pioneers in Jack Groce Stadium for the final regular season home game. Then, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, Watauga will travel to Hudson.
Now 9-8-1 overall and 3-5 in NWC play, South Caldwell split its home and away series with 5-14, 1-8 Freedom, losing 2-1 in Hudson and winning 1-0 in Morganton this week.
“South Caldwell has been up and down this year,” said Honeycutt. “Catch them on the right day and they can be trouble.”
BONUS PHOTOS
