Bulls Soccer Cruises Past Northwest Cabarrus

Sometimes soccer is thrilling and full of drama, sometimes it's frustrating, sometimes it's a physical battle....and then there was the match pitting the Ragin’ Bulls against the Northwest Cabarrus Trojans and NWCHS. Whatever drama this game promised was quickly dampened by the Bulls as Adrian Ike scored on a 20 yard right footed screamer in the 4th minute of the game that tested the fasteners of the back right corner netting. The Bulls keeper Drew Andreotti put the next nail in the drama coffin by making 2 outstanding diving saves, one to his left just as the ball was to cross the end line and one to his right about 10 yards out from the goal mouth a few minutes later. After that, the Trojans never really threatened again as the defense kept pestering and frustrating any Northwest attackers that got near to getting a shot off. The drama was completely sucked out of the game in a 1:08 span with about 12 minutes to go in the half. It started when right winger Alex Batson sent a cross to the top of the box where forward Matt Abbott spun his defender and rifled a left footed shot that was deflected by a great effort from the Trojan keeper. Unfortunately for the Trojan keeper though, left winger Brandon Castillo never gave up on the ball and rushed on to put the rebound into the back left corner of the net. 1:08 seconds later, Matt Abbott scored off an assist from Adrian Ike to make it 3-0 Bulls. Just like that the morale of the home team was broken and the game was never again in doubt.

Midfielder Chris Faber weaves through the Northwest Cabaurrs defenders

The second half started much like the first in terms of a quick strike. In the 8th minute center defender Eric Frederick sent a right footed hook shot up and over the wall bending into the front right corner of the goal for a 4-0 lead. The final scoring was capped by Sophomore forward Kincaid Albers running onto a long ball and chipping it over the onrushing keeper to make it 5-0 Bulls with 5 minutes to go in the contest. The victory puts Hickory Ridge at 10-1-0 in conference play, 14-2-1 overall. Hickory Ridge moved up one spot in the state rankings to 12th in the 3A classification and moved up to number 9 in the Charlotte Observer Sweet 16 which ranks the top 16 teams in the Charlotte Observer subscription area, regardless of school classification. Congratulations men, keep the momentum going