THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 10, 1996 TAG: 9607100519
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: 56 lines
The West did the better job of getting shots Tuesday in the Virginia High School Coaches boy's soccer all-star game, but the East did the best job of making their shots count.
Midlothian's Kenneth Sykes scored on a header directly in front of the goal with five minutes remaining to lift the East past the West, 2-1, in the second annual match-up of the state's best senior players at Darling Stadium.
The East also prevailed last year, on penalty kicks.
York's Brady Walker scored the East's other goal five minutes into the second half by cleaning up the rebound of First Colonial's Joey Broscious' 14-yarder that ricocheted off the far post.
``I just stuck it on goal and good things happened,'' said Broscious, a first-team All-Tidewater selection.
But in between those two scores, the East dominated the action, swarming the East goal and manufacturing several quality scoring chances.
Ironically, East keeper Nick Shockley was thankful for all the attention.
``I'd rather have a lot of shots than just sit back and be bored,'' said the former Deep Creek star and another first-team All-Tidewater pick. ``I guess they gave me what I wanted.''
The West pressure paid off five minutes after Walker's goal. The West carved through the East defense with some slick one-touch passing before Hylton's Aaron Brunner, dubbed ``Mr. Assist'' because he set up a school-record 46 scores, who dribbled to the left of Shockley and beat Shockley to the far post.
But the Hornets' keeper came up big minutes later, when he dove to deny a Andrew Pillifant header from point-blank range.
``It's funny, because I had a lot of goals scored on me like that during the high school season,'' Shockley said. ``I just stuck my hand out, and the ball stuck to it. Then I put my other hand on top of it and trapped it right in front of the goal line.''
The West also had three set plays in the second half - the East had none - but failed to convert.
The East also got solid net play from Western Branch's Daniel Dussia, who make some sharp stops of his own to keep the West at bay through a scoreless first half.
Despite the level of talent on the field, the teams enjoyed just two practices before the game, and the lack of familiarity showed during a spotty opening half.
``I think we were trying to feel each other out,'' Sykes said. ``But once everything clicked, I think we played pretty well.''
Other South Hampton Roads players in the game were Kellam's Chris Whelan, who had the crowd buzzing with his patented flip throws, Kellam's Jay Gunia and Deep Creek's Sean Gomez. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MOTOYA NAKAMURA, The Virginian-Pilot
Deep Creek High's Sean Gomez, center, is introduced with his
parents, Diana and A.G., before the VHSCA all-star boy's soccer
game. by CNB