Senior Mohammed Abdulhadi streaks past Sanderson defenders back in October. Shut up. There is no denying it. Enloe Men's soccer is soaring to new heights and by God, those heights have been thrilling. With an unprecedented overall 13-3-7 record, we could not be prouder of what the 2017 team has accomplished. Dominating both in and out of conference play, the Eagles are led by Senior Captains Harry Cooper and Chris Murphy, along with Junior Captains Aidan Sullivan and Grant Alexander. Other crucial pieces of the puzzle are Goalie Emir Sivam, Forward Ian Rupp, Defender Ben Wu, and lightning-fast Forward Miguel Solis. From August 14 to September 26 the Eagles were on a tear, with no losses and "bowling out" with pure class. A heated match at Leesville put an end to that run on September 27, igniting a new type of fire within the team. That loss seems like a blip on the map, as Enloe went on to win/tie 7 of the next 9 games. Perhaps the most gut wrenching moments of the season thus far have come from the September 18 game at Broughton and the most recent match against Sanderson. On Broughton's home turf, the Eagles managed to pull of a buzzer beater finish, as Harry Cooper connected with the back of the net just as the clock winded down. The perfectly placed ball soared through the air, practically stunning Broughton's players with its finesse. On November 1, a similar occurrence ensued, but multiplied by a thousand. With an array of missed shots on target, Enloe appeared to be a bit off, missing goals by mere inches. Ian Rupp managed to get Enloe back on track, dishing one in to put the Eagles up in the first half. Later in the second half, a PK put Sanderson in a position of momentum with the score tied 1-1. As ties are not allowed during playoff matches, a penalty shootout commenced. What happened next would be written down in Enloe sports lore for eons, if not centuries. Perhaps only possible in FIFA, freak-of-nature Goalkeeper Emir Sevim saved a whopping 5 penalty kicks in a row. That's right, you can close your jaw now. Emir describes the moment as tense, high stakes, and extremely nerve wrecking. "This was the most emotionally draining game I have ever been a part of," he says, "But it was perhaps one of the greatest matches in Enloe soccer history." With both sides missing a surprising amount of shots to start off the overtime shootout, Enloe looked unsure. But as this team has shown throughout the season, the best dishes are served with a side of clutch. With Emir stamping out opponents left and right, and the Eagles finding the back of the net with much ease, the win looked close in sight. Then, BAM. Sophomore Ben Wu placed the ball past the Sanderson Goalkeeper for a picture perfect end to a hectic and emotional game. As the team ran onto the field, the celebration would not last long. The team is back to business for their next match against Pine Forest in Fayetteville, in what looks to be a favorable matchup. With several increíble wins under their belts, this first playoff game is just a taste of what is to come. And by God, we cannot wait. Click the link below to view the 4A Bracket to look at Enloe's path to the Championship game.
0 Comments
|
The Eagle's EyeBest of the Nest since 1981 Archives
January 2018
|