Broughton soccer to face Cap-8 rival Leesville next in playoffs

The No. 12 Broughton boys’ soccer team dominated possession in Wednesday’s match against No. 21 South View en route to a 3-0 win in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A playoffs Wednesday night.

Senior striker Elvis Wiredu led the Capitals with two goals, and junior Gray Gwaltney scored once to keep alive a three-game scoring streak. Meanwhile, the Caps (13-6-3) defense pitched a shutout, but they didn’t face too much trouble with zero shots on goal.

Broughton will face Cap-8 mate and fifth-seeded Leesville Road in the second round on Saturday.

It was evident early on Wednesday that Wiredu would be a big factor in this game. The senior captain was the fastest player on the field and beat the Tigers goalie in the upper 90 just six minutes into the game. In the second half, Wiredu scored his second goal by deflecting a corner kick bouncing around in the box.

“I played very good,” Wiredu said. “Even though the defense wasn’t all that good, as a striker, when I get the ball, I have to take it to them, and I did what I could.”

Co-captain Grant Tyler said Wiredu is the main focus of the team’s offense, and they’re constantly looking to feed him the ball.

“He’ll get as many chances as he want,” Tyler said. “It’s just a matter of if he can finish.”

Sandwiched between the Wiredu goals was Gwaltney’s, who has the hot hand – or rather foot – according to Broughton coach Nick Wheeler.

Twenty-five minutes into the first half, Abdulle Ibrahim found open space on the left flank and fired in a beautiful, curling low cross into the box. South View’s keeper missed the ball, and Gwaltney’s far post run paid off with the easy tap in.

It was a great finish with a great set up.

“Abdulle doing what he’s supposed to do: trying to be dangerous,” Wheeler said. “Throw the ball at the goal in sloppy conditions.”

Though the three-goal win for Broughton seems dominant, and it was, the score could have been more lopsided. Wiredu missed a couple one-on-one opportunities, and several of his teammates had good chances too.

But credit some of that to South View (11-11-1), and credit some of that to a very muddy field, which Wheeler, Wiredu and Tyler all referenced as a challenge throughout the match.

“Possession was hard to find,” Wheeler said. “When you found a green area, and you had a chance to make a pass or two, we really tried to take advantage of it.”

The pitch may not have been ideal, but Broughton looked in form. Throughout the match, the Caps maintained the offensive pressure and exploited gaps in South View’s defensive midfield.

Earlier this season, Cap-8 champion Leesville defeated Broughton, 3-2, and the two squads tied 2-2 in the second cycle.

“Leesville’s a really tough team, especially with the defense,” Wiredu said. “We don’t have to focus about how good they are because we know we are way better than them and we can beat them.”

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Broughton soccer to face Cap-8 rival Leesville next in playoffs."