Cold Weather, Hot Game: Men’s Soccer Fights Hard Against Sanderson

Bran Poster, Editor|October 16, 2019

The men’s soccer game on October ninth can be simplified to one word: ferocious. Amidst freezing winds and darkening skies, Sanderson’s team managed to beat Enloe’s Varsity team by a single point, continuing the losing streak Enloe Varsity has had this season. Thankfully, Junior Varsity (JV) showed Sanderson how it’s done, earning a 2-0 win. Here’s how it went down.

The first half JV game was preceded by a captivating performance of the national anthem by Deborah Womble. Players then lined up for ritualistic high-fives with the Sanderson team. There was a chill wind sporadically blowing from the East, but it did little to dampen morale and camaraderie. Sooner than spectators knew it, it was time for the first kickoff.

JV had it tough from the get-go: even though they had Sanderson on the defensive, Sanderson did an admirable job of keeping the ball at least twenty yards from their goal, with the exception of a single corner kick. The first half was effectively a war of attrition, with neither side making significant gains or losses. However, the second half was a different story. Pumped by motivational teambuilding exercises and loud music, JV charged at Sanderson right after halftime was up. The Sanderson goalie scrambled to adjust to their scholar-athlete intensity, and JV scored twice in the first fifteen minutes of the second half. Eagle players aggressively propelled the ball toward the goal without passing it to other players. Shaken, Sanderson finally regained their composure and moved back into defensive positions. Enloe was unable to break through their lines for the rest of the game, but neither was Sanderson, and so we got a commendable 2-0 win. Let’s go JV!

Varsity had it hard from the start. It was getting late, the boys were cold, and Sanderson was crying for vengeance after the defeat of their JV team. Thankfully, players Finn Mitchel and Michael Ramsay weren’t going to let Varsity slide into abjection. After a lull in the first five minutes of half one, Ramsay deftly propelled the ball towards Sanderson whilst he was surrounded by a ring of defender players. About thirty yards from the goal, Ramsey kicked the ball at Mitchel in a single epic exchange. Mitchel proceeded to maneuver the ball directly into Sanderson’s goal! Sanderson came back with a vengeance, scoring twice in brutal maneuvers that, at one point, sent Enloe player Alex Alfaro sprawling on the turf. Thankfully, Alfaro was up in a few moments, shouting hoots of encouragement to his fellow eagles.

 

Eagle Soccer champion Alieu Sanneh looks small from a distance, but once you see him play, you understand his strength. Two minutes and sixty-four seconds till the end of half one, he scored a goal. Afterwards, Sanderson player Kieran Gilroy skillfully reversed another Enloe assault on his home goal with some deft footwork. Gilroy stood out as a critical player throughout the game, Enloe should keep an eye on him in the future. With a shrill whistle blow, half one ended, and players stole a peek at the scoreboard: two-to-two.

The second half can only be described as trench warfare. We saw brutal plays on both sides, but neither team upped the other for the first ten minutes. Notable Enloe Players include Robert Hinkle, who used his long legs to great effect, and goalie Christian Goss, who at one point deflected an airbound shot from ten yards. Tragically, a tiny flaw in our line was exploited by Sanderson, and Kieran Gilroy scored a defining goal. It was a dark time, and the suddenly sour mood of the Enloe players was reflected by shouts of indignation from the audience. Despite noble attempts and excellent plays, the caution of the Enloe team combined with the satisfaction of Sanderson to create a stalemate which lasted for the rest of the game. It was a hard fought battle, and the Eagles lost by a single point. This is progress though, much improved from our previous losses. Undoubtedly, the Eagles will finally land a win sometime in the near future.

In response to a question about how Enloe did, Coach Wood said “we moved the ball really well.” He added that the team “played unselfishly.” JV team captain Micheal Ramsay was also asked for comment. “We played well as a team,” he said. Simple words, but full of insight. Congratulations to JV and condolences to Varsity, remember that Enloe is cheering on you even if you don’t win. SKO EAGS!