Game 6 Pinecrest vs Douglas Byrd Monday, September 10th, 2007 John Williams Field, Southern Pines, NC 2OT
(4-2-0) (1-0-0)	2		1	(0-4-0) (0-1-0)
Goals: Coby Kavanaugh, Aaron Stroker (PC) Assists: Matt Carriker, Tyler Dawson (PC) Pinecrest          1    0    1    0  -  2 Douglas Byrd    1    0    0    0  -  1
PATRIOTS DEFEAT EAGLES IN LEAGUE SOCCER OPENER By Dean Parziale, Special to The Pilot, Appeared Wednesday, September 12th, 2007

The year's first Mid-Southeastern Conference match saw the Pinecrest boys' soccer team defeat the visiting Douglas Byrd Eagles 2-1 in a thrilling overtime contest Monday night at the John Williams Athletic Complex.      North Carolina high school soccer rules dictate a match ending tied after 80 minutes is then sent to two 10-minute overtime periods, not a sudden death.      The fans were therefore treated to 20 extra minutes of soccer, with Pinecrest finding a goal in the first overtime and then hanging on in the second to improve their season mark to 4-2.      Pinecrest coach Larry Martin was impressed with the visitors' performance.      "Douglas Byrd has made some great improvements in their program," Martin. "Competitive matches like this will help make us a better team. We've got a big match at home Friday Night with (highly ranked) Apex High School, this will help us get our heads right."      For the second consecutive game, Pinecrest would concede the first score but fight back for a victory. Despite Pinecrest having the early run of play with numerous attempts on goal it was the visitors with the breakthrough score at 25 minutes. A Douglas Byrd striker broke down the center of the field, before cutting back to his right and launching a curling 18-yard shot just inside the right post for the 1-0 lead.      Pinecrest would press the attack and level the score six minutes later, when Matt Carriker found Coby Kavanaugh at the top of the penalty area. The senior captain launched a low left-footed effort that eluded the diving Eagle keeper.      The second half was more of the same, with Pinecrest attacking and Douglas Byrd playing superb defense. The Patriots' best second-half efforts came from Kavanaugh, who would rattle the crossbar twice. For the match, Pinecrest would outshoot the Eagle 23 to seven, but the game was deadlocked when normal time expired.      Pinecrest would find the winner six minutes into the first overtime as senior Tyler Dawson crossed from deep in the left corner, just over the leaping net minder to sophomore Aaron Stroker, who had positioned himself on the far post. Stroker converted for the score.      "Credit our guys," Martin said. "They got up and down the field all night. Our fitness preparation played a big part. Byrd has good athletes at the skill positions. My hat's off to them as well."      Pinecrest will travel to Scotland County tonight and then return home Friday for a 7 p.m. showdown with Apex.      The Pinecrest junior varsity team defeated the O'Neal School jayvees 6-0. Pinecrest was led by Jack Talton with two scores. Neil Lewis, Preston Foote, Grey Anderson and Dana Parziale, scored one goal each. Parziale and Michael Guarente teamed up for their sixth consecutive shutout, as the squad remained undefeated with a 6-0 mark. Season:   Goals Scored: 13    Goals Allowed: 8     Overall Record: 4-2-0    Conference Record: 1-0-0 <-Previous 9-06-07 vs Lee County (W, 5-1)              9-12-07 at Scotland County (W, 3-1) Next->