Raiders hold off Cape Fear in 6-5 goalfest

ROCKINGHAM — Seniors Luke Williams and Pedro Molina each scored two goals to carry the Richmond Senior High School varsity boys soccer team against Cape Fear Monday night.

The Raiders got off to a fast start, withstood a comeback, and held on late to win a goalfest 6-5 against the visiting Colts.

“We jumped out to an early lead and took our foot off the gas,” said head coach Chris Larsen. “I told them, when they want to play, they play at a high level and it’s fun to watch. When we don’t want to play, when we’re not focused — it’s not fun to watch. So I think they got a reality check, got refocused and started doing the things we know we need to do.”

A total of four goals were scored in the first 10 minutes between the two teams.

Richmond’s (2-3) first goal came less than a minute into the game, as senior Cody Eason launched a low cross into the box from the right wing that was deflected off a Cape Fear (0-2) defender and into the net for an own goal.

In the eighth minute, on a counterattack, the Raiders pushed down the left flank. The first shot was saved by the Colts’ goalkeeper, but Molina was there to put the rebound into the back of the net. Almost immediately after that, Williams scored on a breakaway up the middle with a low left-post shot to make it 3-0.

Cape Fear pulled a goal back in the 10th minute to cut the deficit to 3-1, but Williams added his second of the night in the 22nd minute. Off a long lob through-ball, he sprinted past the two central defenders collected the ball, shook off a late sliding tackle from behind by a Colts defender and beat the keeper again to the left post.

“I think the biggest thing for me was actually our practices,” Williams said. “Our practices this week have been big since we were coming off a two-game losing streak. I just wanted to pick the momentum back up. Our midfielders were able to find me and I scored.”

Had Williams not scored, the sliding tackle from behind likely would have resulted in a yellow or red card for the defender for denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity. After scoring, Williams took issue with the late challenge and had words with the defender afterwards. The official waved-off both players and continued with the game.

“I didn’t like how he stuck his leg out from behind when I had an easy scoring opportunity,” Williams said. “But I was able to get back up and put it away.”

The Colts were able to add two goals before halftime. The first came in the 29th minute as Cape Fear was able to beat Richmond goalkeeper Ian Williams to the near post after a scramble for the ball in the final third. The Colts cut the deficit to one after a long, bending shot from outside the 18-yard box sailed past Ian Williams’ outstretched hands in the 35th minute.

“We tried to get a lot of people some playing time and we dropped our level of play,” Larsen said. “When they pulled tight, and I told the guys at halftime that there was a chance that they would (equalize), I think the guys realized they had to get back in and get their minds right.”

Cape Fear got their fourth goal and drew level in the 51st minute on a long, desperation shot from near the touchline about 30-35 yards out that dipped under the crossbar.

With both teams now chasing a tiebreaking goal, the Raiders then managed to pull ahead again in the 65th minute. Senior Alex Medina ripped a long shot from outside the box that was saved by the keeper. Eason then collected the rebound and touched the ball past the keeper and into the net to make it 5-4.

Richmond added one more goal from Molina in the 72nd minute to try to put the game away, but the Colts still had one more goal in them, which they scored with a little more than three minutes left.

“They stepped up and they started to do those things that made us successful in the first 10-15 minutes, which was playing unselfish, knocking the ball around, winning the ball and possessing it,” Larsen said.

Larsen said after they went up two goals late, they adjusted positionally to play two holding midfielders to clog up the middle of the field and try to kill off the game.

“I don’t know if the guys understood me because (Cape Fear) was able to pull it back within one,” Larsen said. “I think on their fifth goal we had too many guys forward. That’s what I was explaining to them (afterwards). We got to get back and understand the game. If you’re up two with 7-10 minutes to go, you don’t have to go get another one, you just have to keep them from getting one. When we play the way we know how to, then we don’t have to worry about making those silly mistakes.”

The Raiders are now set to open conference play Wednesday at home against Southern Lee.