Soccer playoffs -- White Oak ends CBA's season

By Gabe Whisnant
Published in Sports on May 20, 2004 1:56 PM

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JACKSONVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock's girls soccer team's first shot on goal against Jacksonville White Oak would prove to be their last of the season.

The Golden Falcons' Tara Fenton got the first shot of the game nearly three minutes in on a direct kick outside of the box. The shot was easily handled by White Oak's goalkeeper and the defending Class 3-A state-champions maintained most of the possession from that point in a 6-0 third-round playoff win on their home field.

After receiving a first-round bye and a dramatic win by penalty kicks in the second round over Oxford Webb, the co-Eastern Carolina Conference champion Falcons concluded their most successful girls soccer season at 14-5. The Golden Falcons lose eight key seniors for next year, but return a solid core of players and also fielded a junior varsity team for the first time this season.

"We had a good run, and we ran into a team that was a little more aggressive and more talented," Aycock coach John Fidler said. "The eight seniors gave me everything they had four years, and the rest of them have something to build on.

"We would like to take this one step further every year."

White Oak (16-4) awaits the winner of Wilson Fike and Manteo in the fourth round.

Falcon goalie Emily Stewart, who finished with 13 saves, turned in a handful of tough saves early -- including a sliding stop at the 26-minute mark on a deflected shot. Aycock's Rachel Coggins and Rebecca Phillips played clutch defense against the solid Viking forwards as the game remained a scoreless tie through the first 25 minutes.

White Oak's Tandy Banks eventually broke through for the first goal, dribbling through open space in the middle, then scoring left-footed with 14:30 left in the first half.

Senior Megan Cole, who finished with a natural hat-trick (three straight goals), went on to score twice in a two-minute stretch under the 10-minute mark as the score stood 3-0 at halftime.

Maggie Barilich and Holly Humphrey dished out assists on Cole's goals.

"We played respectable at a lot of points of the game, " Fidler said. "We played good for the first 20 minutes, but once the first one went in, they came pretty quick after that."

Stewart posted another dramatic save six minutes into the second half -- coming out and sliding to knock down a one-on-one shot attempt by Cole. White Oak's Colleen McLaughlin blasted a follow shot toward the goal, but Aycock's Paige Stewart stepped in front and cleared the attempt out of the box.

The Falcons never found much of a rhythm against sweeper Chanese Hall and the White Oak defense. Hall tracked down most of Aycock's long pass attempts down field to leading scorers Mary Beth Hooks and Jessie Lamb. Many times, Hall was able to start White Oak's controlled passing attack with a crisp pass to a midfielder.

"We just didn't get anything going," Fidler said. "They controlled the midfield really well, and the way they pushed up on offense with seven, really kept us from getting anything. We were playing down on our end a lot."

Cole completed her natural hat trick by scoring on a pass from Humphrey nine minutes into the second half. Barilich and Humphrey completed the scoring for White Oak, who posted three goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half.

Both coaches used their substitutes for a good portion of the second half.

Aycock's Phillips, Hooks, Lamb, Christie Milleson, Angela Cecil, Paige Stewart and Cassidy Grey all played in their final games.

"They all mean so much," said Fidler as he pointed to his heart. "They gave everything they had."

2004 N.C. High School

Athletic Association

Class 3-A Girls

Soccer Playoffs

Third-round

(at White Oak HS)

C.B. Aycock 0 0 -- 0

White Oak 3 3 -- 6

First half

WO -- Banks (unassisted), 14:30

WO -- Cole (Barilich assist), 9:06

WO -- Cole (Humphrey assist), 6:40

Second half

WO -- Cole (Humphrey assist), 31:30

WO -- Barilich (unassisted), 30:00

WO -- Humphrey (Soetaert assist), 27:16

C.B. Aycock White Oak

1 Shots 23

0 Corner kicks 3

0 Offsides 4

2 Fouls 10

Saves -- C.B. Aycock -- Stewart 13. White Oak -- Baysden 1.