LAURINBURG — It might have taken a few games longer than they would have liked, but the Fighting Scots soccer team seems to have hit their stride.
The Scots are riding a three game win streak after knocking off West Columbus (1-4) on Tuesday, 6-3.
Before the start of Tuesday’s game, the Scots were presented a $6,000 check from Cascades in Wagram. The team partnered with Cascades over the summer for a fundraiser. Members of the team spent a day in July loading paper towels and toilet paper into customers cars and in exchange Cascades donated part of the proceeds from that day to the soccer program.
“Cascades came out, we did the fundraiser in the middle of July. We helped them load paper towels and toilet paper and Cascades was great and gave us a chuck of the check back,” said head coach Daniel Gallagher. “The money will go to the soccer program to do some nice things for the boys.”
The giant check, along with self-appointed assistant coach Nyjel Collins-Jackson, who sat out Tuesday’s game, got the team pumped up for the game.
The Scots didn’t waste any time as senior Tripp Wells drove down the middle of the field. Wells’ approach brought West Columbus’ goalie out of the net to try and stop the ball, but Wells kick around him to give the Scots a 1-0 lead on an empty net goal.
Just over a minute later, a corner kick from junior mid-fielder Hunter Edkins earned Wells his second goal. The 2-0 lead brought the Scots bench to their feet and earned Wells praise from Collins-Jackson.
As the self-appointed assistant coach, Collins-Jackson was very vocal from the sidelines making sure his teammates were on top of their game and when they weren’t — he let them know.
The Scots managed to control the ball for most of the first half, keeping the ball on their side of the field. The improved pressure from the Scots defense set sophomore striker Adolfo Duran up for his first goal of the game to give the Scots a 3-0 lead.
West Columbus tried to mount a comeback in the waning minutes of the first half, scoring two goals — but the Scots answered with a second goal from Duran and a third goal for Wells to complete his first hat trick of the season.
Gallagher said the improved play by his team is because they are learning each other’s timing in actual game situations and not just in practice.
“It’s hard to generate the energy and all that in practice. Getting them to play against a competitive team, it makes a difference,” Gallagher told WLNC.
With a 5-2 lead heading into the second half, West Columbus scored a final goal but so did the Scots. After assisting with several goals in the first half, Edkins scored the Scots final goal in the second to put the game out of the Vikings reach, 6-3.
The win moves the Scots to 3-6 overall and 1-1 in SAC-8 play while West Columbus drops to 1-4.
The Scots were back on the pitch Wednesday in a Sandhills Athletic Conference match up with Hoke County. The team wraps up their week tonight with a trip to East Bladen. JV match begins at 5:15 p.m.
Amber Hatten can be reached at 910-506-3170.
