Chargers ice Green Wave, advance in Region C

Chargers ice Green Wave, advance in Region C

By Geoff Cox • Staff Writer

WARM SPRINGS - Bath's Eli Sprouse scored three goals for a "hat trick" and goalie Alex Cauley and the Charger defense shut out the Narrows Green Wave, 4-0, Tuesday evening.
The tailgate atmosphere was electric and Charger Field was buzzing with excitement as the Chargers began their drive to the state tournament. Narrows High School from the Mountain Empire District was the Chargers' first stepping stone.
Usually content to run a ball control short-game, the Chargers opened it up on their feisty opponents with longer passes and quick movement up the field. Defensive pressure pushed the action to the Green Wave's side and nine minutes into the game the Chargers capitalized.
Pioneer District player of the year, Derek Woodzell, fielded a long kick from the Bath goal by Jim King at midfield, dribbled through the Narrows' defense, and cranked a hard left-footer into the top left of the net for the 1-0 lead.
Narrows responded with a controlled short-game attack but the Charger defense, conducted by Cauley from the box, disrupted the Green Wave's style of play by attacking every ball with relentless pressure. Narrows' best chance at a goal came 15 minutes in the game on a Bath handball in the box. One-on-one with the Narrows' opponent, Cauley read him perfectly for a save to keep the Chargers ahead.
After several shots by Gates Herscher that were stopped by the Green Wave goalie, Sprouse put the Chargers up 2-0. Lightning fast, Sprouse dribbled down the left sideline, blew past the Narrows' defenders, and lofted a left-footer over the goalie and off the bottom of the top bar, 19 minutes into the first half.
Three minutes later Sprouse scored his second goal off a perfect corner kick by Whitney Lacks that Sprouse headed into the goal for a three-goal lead. After several more Woodzell attempts and a near miss over the goal by Tony Walters the Green Wave nearly scored when a shot slipped through Cauley's hands but Bath's Cody Nelson slid between Cauley and the goal and cleared the ball out of the box.
Content with the situation, the Chargers returned to their short-game offense and Sprouse, Woodzell, and Walters controlled the ball with smart passes and great teamwork and each had shots on the goal that just missed and the Chargers took a 3-0 lead into the half.
In the second half Narrows came out determined to make a game of the contest. But the Chargers were more determined to get the shutout. Defenders George Hicklin, James LaCour, Nelson, and King laid on the pressure and Cauley shut down the goal.
With eight minutes left to play Herscher and Sprouse shook off the Green Wave defense and drove toward the goal. The Narrows' goalie came out to meet them and fell trying to make the save. With the goalie on the ground, Sprouse tapped the ball across the goal for his third goal and the crowd went wild.
After a soaring Cauley save on a Green Wave corner kick to preserve the shutout, the whistle blew, cowbells rang, and Woodzell did his traditional victory backflip as the Chargers' advanced to the Region C semifinals for the first time.
"It was a pretty good game," said Mueller. "It's been a heck of a ride with these kids, it's been fun. We knew they were in our league. The next game against Giles County may be a survival fight," he said.
The win gives the Chargers a best-ever season record of 11-3-2.
The Chargers face off against Giles in the semifinals of the Region C tournament at Glenvar Thursday at 7:30 p.m.