Jackson Bolton takes the ball upfield for the Eagles.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)

Cape Fear Christian Academy’s varsity boys soccer team held an early 2-1 lead over visiting Riverside Christian Academy, but three unanswered goals boosted the Royals to a 4-2 win in the nonconference contest.

“It shows that we’re a young team,” said Cape Fear Christian soccer coach Michael Breslin. “It shows that we’re an inexperienced team, because the progress that we had made, we took two steps forward and one step back and today was our one step back. Part of the problem for us is a lot of games. This is our third game this week and the kids are fatigued. I was missing a couple of players who had to sit this game and that made a big difference, because those were two of my more experienced players that were out today. And we had fewer subs, so I had to put players that, really, this year are learning, I had to have on the field. It’s one of those things and we’ll continue to move forward, continue to learn and continue to work on the basics, because that’s all we can do.”

Freshman Luke Adams and senior Dolan Adams provided one goal apiece for the Eagles (0-5).

Luke Adams scored within the opening minutes of the contest. Riverside scored to tie it with 33:19 left in the first half.

The Eagles regained the lead when a powerful goal kick from junior David Okropiridze went from one end of the field to the other. Riverside’s keeper came forward to play the ball, but it went off of his hands and Dolan Adams was first to the loose ball and booted it into a wide-open net.

“We give (Okropiridze) a hard time because he ‘toes’ the ball,” Breslin said. “I work with him not to do that, but sometimes you just have to let David be David and that was what the situation was. That was a beautiful assist. And at that point I thought we were looking good, because we scored the first goal maybe a minute in. And we just fell apart. We beat ourselves and that happens sometimes.”

But the Royals scored twice more across the final 20 minutes of the first half to take a 3-2 halftime lead and added a fourth in the second half.

Cape Fear Christian travels to Sandhills Athletic Conference rival Northwood Temple Academy (1-4) for a game at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“That’s our rival and I think the guys will rise for that game,” Breslin said. “I expect that we’ll be competitive. But we’ll be back out here tomorrow afternoon working on basics and I expect them to absorb what we do. The biggest thing I need to see is that discipline and that they listen and trust. You do your job and trust your teammates to do theirs and we’ll be okay.”

Middle Schools

CFCA fell behind visiting Berean Baptist 2-0 in the opening soccer match on Thursday, but rallied for a 2-2 tie in regulation on goals by Brandon Surles and Bryson Davis. Berean won on penalty kicks.

CFCA topped Berean 2-0, 2-1 in volleyball matches hosted by the Eagles as CFCA improved to 9-1 in the Southeastern Conference.

Bryson Davis (5) and Brandon Surles (9) had goals for CFCA middle school.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)

CFCA middle school goalie Rhett Alphin comes up with a save.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)

Ashley Dupree sets up a livestream — with no spectators allowed.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)

CFCA middle school volleyball coach Mary Beth Young.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)

Kaedyn Moran gets ready to serve for CFCA on Thursday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Barbara Myatt)

Reid Miller makes a pass for CFCA varsity soccer Thursday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)

Luke Adams rises for a header against Riverside.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)

Senior Dolan Adams had a goal for the host Eagles.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)

David Okropiridze looks to make a run for Cape Fear Christian.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)