Ayden-Grifton offense stalls in defeat

LITTLEFIELD — Ayden-Grifton's offense didn't start early enough.

The Chargers lost their opening-round match in the 1-A soccer state playoffs Wednesday to Union, 3-1, with A-G's only goal coming in the waning minutes.

Union (10-5-2) had a 2-0 lead at halftime due to its aggressiveness on offense and ability to control possession in the first 40 minutes.

And the Chargers never really recovered.

“The things that they were doing to us in the first half, we practice on every day,” A-G coach John Moye said. “When we finally realized what was going on, it was almost too late.”

A-G scored its only goal with about three minutes left in the match, when Fernando Ascencio received a pass near the front of the net and lofted it over the Union goalie's head for the score.

But Union quickly put the Chargers (7-7-2) away about a minute later when Hairon Sevilla dribbled through the A-G defense and found the back of a net on a point-blank shot.

Union scored its first goal less than 10 minutes into the match when a shot was deflected by the Ayden-Grifton goalie and found the goal to give the Spartans the early advantage.

Union then kept the pressure on A-G, capping the opening half with another goal.

Irineo Rodriguez recorded the goal during injury time when he corralled a loose ball near the front of the net and slipped it into the goal to put Union in full control.

“We didn't come to play at the beginning of the match, and it showed,” Moye said. “We came to play in the second half and it was like night and day. If the team that showed up in the second half was there in the first half, we could still be playing right now.”

Despite only cashing in on one goal in the final 40 minutes, Ayden-Grifton had multiple opportunities to score and its late surge nearly tied the match.

Michael Baker had a free kick from about 20 yards out corralled by the Union goalie with 10 minutes left to play. Eric Sjorsdma had a shot from the corner of the goalie box halted by the Union goalie about four minutes earlier.

Contact Ronnie Woodward at rwoodward@reflector.com or (252) 329-9592.