J.H. Rose faced a Southeast Raleigh team Wednesday night that was bigger, faster and, most of the time, much more physical than the Rampants.
In addition to having an edge in those areas, the visiting Bulldogs also played flawless soccer for most of the match and ended JHR's season with a 5-0 victory in the first round of the girls Class 4-A state playoffs. Except for offensive flurries late in the first half and early in the second, the Rampants (9-13) played the majority of the game's 80 minutes scrambling to keep up with Southeast's attack, which produced two goals in the first half and three in the second.
Jason A. Frizzelle/The Daily Reflector |
Southeast Raleigh's Amanda Lapp, left, and J.H. Rose's Megan Everett chase the ball during their first round playoff game Wednesday.
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As much as the Bulldogs (9-12-2) imposed their will physically, their precision passing and ability to finish scoring opportunities were just as critical.
"The biggest difference was playing the ball to feet," Rose coach Tim Dameron said. "We counted and, at one point, (Southeast Raleigh) had 17 consecutive passes to feet to our five."
Striker Amanda Lapp opened the scoring after stepping in front of a Rampant clearance attempt in the 12th minute. Lapp kept control of the ball, looked up to find her angle and buried a shot past JHR goalkeeper Hannah Perry for a 1-0 Bulldog lead.
Midfielder Katie Howard, a Southeast co-captain along with Lapp, scored the Bulldogs' second goal 12 minutes later. Howard latched onto a Lapp pass about 20 yards out and cranked a shot that veered into the right side of the net.
Southeast Raleigh would have had a three-goal lead at halftime if Rose's Megan Amanatides hadn't made the defensive play of the game.
Bulldog winger Amber Eberhard dribbled some 30 yards toward the Rampant goal and appeared primed for an easy finish after Perry left the goal mouth. Eberhard's shot was on target and cleanly skipped by Perry, but Amantides made a last-gasp slide on the goal line and cleared the shot with less than five seconds left in the half to keep it 2-0.
Unfortunately for Rose, it didn't stay 2-0 for long.
Alice Jou stole the ball from Perry and Rampant defender Megan Everett and finished an uncontested chance for a 3-0 Southeast advantage less than five minutes into the second half. Howard scored her second goal of the game in the 60th minute before delivering a beautiful corner kick that Lapp headed home for her second score and the game's final tally to make it 5-0 five minutes later.
With just three seniors — Stephanie Huza, Rachel Neufer and Carlyn Wynne — leaving Rose's team, Dameron is optimistic next season won't end the way the 2008 campaign did.
"We had a huge load of underclassmen come in," Dameron said. "Our biggest thing has got to be continuing to build these relationships and continue to build toward next season and beyond."
Tony Castleberry can be reached at tcastleberry@coxnc.com or at (252) 329-9591.
